Whatsapp vs Signal

 

Imagine you’re a king ruling your empire for a long time and suddenly a new emperor comes and tries to invade your kingdom.

That’s exactly what’s happening to Whatsapp right now whose virtual throne as a global messaging app is facing a huge threat from the new entrant, Signal app.

 

Hey there! I am using Signal!

 

What is Signal?

 

Signal is a messaging app launched by the Signal Foundation that is a non-profit organisation to ensure and offer safe and secure messaging for it’s users worldwide. Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton launched the Signal Foundation in 2017. Brian, who was the co-founder of Whatsapp, raised concerns about the user’s privacy on Whatsapp after he sold Whatsapp to Facebook and developed Signal with an intention of creating a safer space. The best thing about this application is that it is an open source platform that means it offers free expression (and will be free in future) and developers from anywhere can contribute to code.

 

Why signal is the new “talk of the town”?

Because talking is encrypted here!

 

While Signal vouches to be the safest messaging app with its tagline “Say hello to privacy”, it proves to be such with its features.

Most of you might debate that conversations over Whatsapp are also end to end encrypted therefore it is safe, but wait here’s a twist!

While your chats are encrypted over the Whatsapp application, the backups and call durations are not. Also, the details shared over Whatsapp business account are not encrypted. Several people might have the access to what you share on/from a Whatsapp business account. While on the other hand, Signal offers end to end encryption even in video calls. Your video calls are relayed through a different server using VPN so that the person you’re talking to can’t track your location. Even call duration is encrypted here.

 

Why the new privacy policy by Whatsapp creates furore?

 

After Brian Acton sold Whatsapp to Mark Zuckerberg, he said in a public interview that “I’ve sold my users privacy to Mark”. That became obvious because Whatsapp then got included in the Facebook ecosystem. Though Mark assured their goals as to “little as possible we use data”, the new policy smashes it terribly.

Peeping from the window, they claim not to enter the house.

 

The private data that is no more ‘private’ with Whatsapp is a user’s,

Signal strength
Time zone
Battery level
IP address
Mobile company
Hardware model
Operating system
Online time
Whatsapp group DP/description
Whatsapp Business account details

Even payment details that you do through ‘Whatsapp pay’ and dealings with business accounts can be tracked except your private information such as your bank account balance. Only the amount that you spend and the things on which you spend will be kept an eye upon.

 

When it comes to personal accounts, your name, contact number, display picture and contacts will be stalked while on Signal only your number will be accessed to run your account. That is the reason Signal uses only a minimum data collection to ensure safety and security to its users.

Elon Musk adds to the credibility by being sceptical about the privacy of Whatsapp and insisting people to “use Signal”.

 

Why is Facebook taking such a step?

 

Basically, there’s nothing new that Facebook is doing. They have always played with data in their own ecosystem and sometimes beyond it. You, the one using their products are yourself a product in the form of data. User’s details are shared to Facebook for providing a better experience in the form of targeted ads and options through the tracking of consumer behavior, just that they have gone a step beyond in their latest policy that is creating this agitation everywhere. Now people are more concerned about how safe their details are and what they are sharing on the internet including messaging apps that they initially thought were the safest.

 

What are some other merits of Signal apart from its privacy policies?

Similar to Whatsapp you can have a desktop version of Signal but the catch here is that you can use Signal on your computer even when your phone is switched off.
Are you also tired of irrelevant chat groups that just add up to the list? Signal doesn’t allow you to directly add any contact to any group. There’s a group invite and only when you accept the invite can you be added to the chat group. Sigh!
Always preferred Whatsapp as notes? Here’s to the people who are habitual to making their shopping and to-do lists on their messaging apps. Signal offers you a “note-to-self” option.

 

 

Why will some (or many) people continue using whatsapp?

 

Apart from the incessant benefits and merits that signal app is offering, it is not that easy to slide people across the globe from one messaging app to another in a short span. It is not just a platform, it is a part of people’s lives. They have been saying Whatsapp as a synonym of “text”. It is hard to predict how many people would be willing to say “Signal me” instead of years spending to say “Whatsapp me”. Apart from that what Whatsapp is taking from you is for improving your consumer satisfaction and making lives easier. Targeted ads have always been saving a lot of time and energy to find the right product for you. But in case you are more concerned about privacy, these policies might not attract you. Maybe this is the reason that the Signal app reached more than 10million downloads by now and is number 1 on the top free application category.

At the end of the day it’s upon the users who decide which application has got into their head and heart. There has been a big history where apps/businesses couldn’t run well because users and consumers were already loyal to a product/service. No matter how many features Signal is offering, if the entire circle is using Whatsapp, you will still continue using Whatsapp. But if there is a mass change in the user’s choices, then Whatsapp is receiving an adieu from the virtual world.