I know I’m a little behind the times, but I just found out about Signal, a secure texting app that provides a higher level of data encryption than any of the other texting apps out there. I’ve been looking for something different ever since I found out that Facebook acquired WhatsApp. (And, again, a little behind the times since Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014!) But, then again, even the founder of WhatsApp thinks that it is time to dump Facebook as this tweet reflects from earlier in the year.
What’s wrong with WhatsApp? I thought it had secure texting:
And, while WhatsApp says it provides secure texting, it is still owned by Facebook. From the WhatsApp website:
“WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is available when you and the people you message use our app. Many messaging apps only encrypt messages between you and them, but WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what is sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp.”
And, in my view, a for-profit company known to sell private data to the highest bidder is not on my “to be trusted” list.
Why is Signal better:
When I found out about Signal a few weeks ago I downloaded it right away. I was surprised to see who of my contacts are already using Signal. Even some of my family are on that list! Signal is a secure texting messaging app. It is free for the download from iTunes (you’ll need iOS 9.0 or later), or the Google Play Store (you’ll need Android 4.0 and up). Because it provides end-to-end encryption no one can view the messages you send except you and the recipient.
From the Signal website:
“Signal messages and calls are always end-to-end encrypted and painstakingly engineered to keep your communication safe. We can’t read your messages or see your calls, and no one else can either.”
“Signal has never taken VC funding or sought investment, because we felt that putting profit first would be incompatible with building a sustainable project that put users first.”
In addition to secure texting, you can also use Signal for phone calls and video chat.
Here’s what Mashable has to say:
“By allowing you to have truly private conversations, Signal changes that equation. Why is this so important? This year, perhaps more than ever, we’ve seen just how asleep at the wheel tech giants are when it comes to nefarious actors using their platforms to sow discord and incite violence. Taking your conversations, and, by extension, valuable data about your so-called social graph off those platforms is one way to fight this.”
And more from Wired about secure texting:
“There’s one messaging app we should all be using: Signal. It has strong encryption, it’s free, it works on every mobile platform, and the developers are committed to keeping it simple and fast by not mucking up the experience with ads, web-tracking, stickers, or animated poop emoji.”
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