Social messaging apps, SIGNAL and TELEGRAM witnessed a surge in mobile downloads since WhatsApp announced on January 6th, 2021, regarding the updated user privacy policy.
Downloads further increased when the richest person on the globe, Elon Musk tweeted –
According to WhatsApp new privacy norms, the users have to give access to data sharing, including location, phone number with Facebook and its other units like Messenger and Instagram. Users who don’t comply with the new norms latest by February 8, will lose access to the messaging app.
Facebook’s privacy policy update on it’s platform WhatsApp has come under the scanner with privacy advocates citing the social media giant’s track record in handling user data, which unfortunately hasn’t been that great! Many including Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma, popular whistleblower Edward Snowden have advised users to migrate to similar messaging platforms like Signal and Telegram.
What is SIGNAL?
Signal is a cross-platform encrypted messaging service developed by the Signal Foundation and Signal Messenger. It uses the Internet to send one-to-one and group messages, which can include files, voice notes, images and videos.
Signal meanwhile, making most of the opportunity has become the number one app on App store in India and on 3rd position on Google Play as on January 11. Signal also tweeted that it is being listed as the top free app on Apple’s App Store charts in India, Austria, France, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, and Switzerland.
Signal has also added more servers to handle the increased traffic. The app so long was used only by journalists and activists, security experts only who are in the lookout of a more secure mode of communication. Signal was founded by WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton.
WhatsApp facing new challenges saw 7% dip in daily download as on Sunday, compared with Wednesday when the app was downloaded by nearly 1.2 million users on Jan. 10. Although it has clarified that the new privacy norms is addressed only for business accounts, but the way it is being pushed to and personal consumer accounts has demotivated many to stop using the app.
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