It is a form of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) that platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Skype have since adopted. He and Trevor Perrin developed the foundation of what would eventually become the Signal protocol. Let’s start with its creator and former CEO Moxie Marlinspike. This isn’t surprising once you take a closer look at the people behind it. The main difference lies in Signal’s absolute adherence to privacy and security. Signal is an app that lets you send messages and make voice and video calls much like most other messaging services. Get CyberGhost VPN What’s Signal and Who are the People Behind It? This was a huge jump for an app with only 500,000 users in 2019. Signal endorsements from people like NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Tesla/SpaceX/Twitter CEO Elon Musk, and former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey brought new users to the app in droves.Įndorsements from the likes of Elon Musk helped boost Signal’s user base in January 2021.īetween January 7 and 10, 2021, the app saw 7.5 million downloads in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Many scrambled for alternative messaging apps that won’t sell or share their data as a result, which helped bring Signal into the mainstream. Users were particularly concerned about the data the app would collect and share with its parent company Meta (then Facebook). That’s why in January 2021, WhatsApp faced tremendous user backlash when it announced updates to its terms of service and privacy policy. This practice continues even as Meta has received numerous fines worldwide, including a fine for data malpractice in January 2023. They collect a boatload of data, so advertisers can pay them to show you personalized ads. This is definitely the case with Meta’s products like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Great as these messaging apps are, they come with a catch. Just imagine how difficult it would have been to go through lockdowns during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic without these apps. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Telegram have made it easier to connect with our friends, family, and even businesses.

Signal encryption