Switching from WhatsApp to Signal (or something else)? Here's what you need to know (2024)
There's a lot of chatter right now from people who are making a switch from WhatsApp to Signal. The switch seems to be driven in part by the incorrect belief that WhatsApp will be piping user data to its parent company, Facebook.
I'm seeing a lot of people who I wouldn't consider as being interested in technology or privacy or encryption talking about making the switch.
While a certain proportion of people talking about switching are doing so because they are attention-seeking or want to feel like they are on the cutting edge or leading the way, and they'll likely have forgotten everything about it in a week and be back on WhatsApp, some will be successful in making the switch.
And there's no doubt that Signal holds less data about you than WhatsApp does.
The problem I've seen in the past is that unless you make a clean break, you end up using two, three, or dozens of apps for communicating. You're not making a switch; you're adding another app.
For some people this works. I know some who are active across a broad range of apps, and that works for them. But if you're switching because of a privacy issue (or non-issue), then switch.
Tell your contacts that you are switching to the new service
Give your contacts a date from which you'll no longer be available on the old service
On that date, make the switch
Easier said than done, but doable. But in my experience, most people just end up with another service they are using.
And the only thing that does for your privacy is erode it.
But what if things are reversed? What if people are asking you to switch to a different service?
That's tough. Personally, I resist these invitations, because if I didn't, I'd end up with dozens of apps installed on my smartphone, and that means more notifications, more work, more noise. I'd also be at the mercy of the ebb and flow of other people, and then I'd have to go through some degree of hassle.
All that goes against my ideas of digital minimalism.
My advice -- unless ending up communicating with people over many apps appeals to you, stick with what works for you.
Close friends will usually add the app and I found many of them actually do like Signal because it is a cleaner messaging experience. Signal users are not the type to send random forwards and there is no scam/spam like there is on Whatsapp.
One of those reasons is that WhatsApp has had many more critical vulnerabilities than either Signal or Telegram. For example, there's the time when attackers were able to install Israeli spyware on a target's phone by simply calling them through WhatsApp.
Maybe they don't like the way the app uses their data or how it handles messages. Maybe they're concerned about privacy and want to remove all traces of WhatsApp from their phone. Or maybe they just don't use the app very often and see no need to keep it installed.
Why Is Signal Suddenly So Popular? Signal's end-to-end encryption is its big feature. That's why so many people are using Signal---because they're concerned about privacy.
Signal is a completely open source, free, secure, and private instant messaging platform, just like WhatsApp (apart from the fact that it's open, secure, and private). ... Like any other modern instant messaging service, Signal supports text, images, videos, voice and video calls, and documents.
Why are people boycotting WhatsApp? WhatsApp is going to share user's data with Facebook. People are concern about their privacy. So people started boycotting.
Signal gives you encrypted messages, as well as voice and video calls. It relies on data, so it's a great option for free calls and texts over Wi-Fi. This can be a huge advantage for those of us who don't want to pay for SMS text messages and phone calls, or who want to make free international calls.
Introduction: My name is Dean Jakubowski Ret, I am a enthusiastic, friendly, homely, handsome, zealous, brainy, elegant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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