A recent turn of events is causing quite the stir of emotions on how people use social media platforms. On the 6th of January WhatsApp announced that they would be from now on providing information to Facebook. With that in mind, all anyone could think of was their online security. Herein comes Signal. An Encryption Messaging App that’s far beyond what we know of WhatsApp.

So, let’s understand what’s happening.

WhatsApp Security Policies Shake the World

WhatsApp has outlined a new privacy policy going into effect next month. The new policy expressly outlines how WhatsApp will share data with Facebook.

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• Phone number
• Profile name
• Address book information

Here’s the official statement everyone received:

“As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies,” the new privacy policy says.

“We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them. This is to help operate… and market our Services and their offerings.” ~ WhatsApp

The thing is, with this move, there is no way to opt out of this. To continue using WhatsApp you must agree to these terms and not everyone is particularly happy with this.

Signal To The Rescue

Use Signal

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021

All of this has created a perfect storm on social media in which WhatsApp users appear to be fleeing the platform in large numbers to join Signal. It is a nonprofit-run encrypted messaging app and not owned by the largest social network on the planet.

This, including a plug from Elon Musk has pushed Signal to heights they may have not thought possible in the near future.

Will you try out Signal? Read all about it here. 

Verification codes are currently delayed across several providers because so many new people are trying to join Signal right now (we can barely register our excitement). We are working with carriers to resolve this as quickly as possible. Hang in there.

— Signal (@signalapp) January 7, 2021