More and more people are expressing concerns over using popular use messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage, Twitter, Instagram, and even standard SMS services. They feel that these apps and services aren’t secure enough to make sure privacy. That’s while we’ve seen an enormous swell of interest for the Signal app.
The Signal app is free to download from both the Google Play Store & Apple App Store and was developed to share encrypted text, images, audio, and video messages for people and groups. It also can be used for encrypted phone calls between Signal users for mobile & tablet users. Here’s a fast check out what this app is all about, and why there’s been a sudden surge of recent users for it.
How Signal app is Special?
Signal app is out there for Android, iPhone, and iPad. There’s also a Signal desktop client for Windows, Mac, and Linux. To join, all you would like maybe a telephone number. It’s free.
The user experience of Signal is simply like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other popular chat apps. It’s a social messaging app with features like messages, groups, stickers, photos, file transfers, voice calls, and even video calls. You’ll have group chats with up to 1000 people and group calls with up to eight people. Signal doesn’t attempt to gather a bunch of knowledge on you or show you advertisements.
While Signal features a very familiar interface, it’s very different under the hood. Your conversations in Signal are end-to-end encrypted, which suggests that not even the owners of Signal can monitor them. Only the people within the conversation can see them.
The signal app is additionally completely open-source. The ASCII text file for the project’s client apps and server software is out there on GitHub.
Why the Signal app is trending?
The signal became famous after WhatsApp announced its newly updated privacy policy. Within the policy, the corporate mentioned that it shares a number of user information with Parent company Facebook. Users seemed unhappy with the new policy, and that’s how Signal became the talk about the town. The Tesla CEO Elon Musk also recommended to his followers to “use Signal”. Alongside Signal, Telegram is additionally being considered by users in India as an alternate to WhatsApp.
This is very different from traditional messaging apps. For instance, Facebook has access to everything you say on Facebook Messenger. Facebook says it won’t use the content of your messages for advertising, however, are you assured which will never change within the future?
Sure, other messengers offer encrypted messaging as an optional feature. But everything on Signal is encrypted, always safe, and secure. Signal also offers other privacy features, including self-destructing (disappearing) messages which will automatically be removed after a period of your time.
Facebook Messenger collects tons of knowledge about you, too. Most companies collect tons of knowledge. Signal tries to not.
Even if Signal is subject to a subpoena on you and made to disclose what it knows about you, the corporate knows almost nothing about you and your Signal activity. Signal could reveal only your account’s telephone number, last connection date, and account creation time.
In contrast, Facebook could reveal your full name, everything you’ve said on Facebook Messenger, an inventory of geographical locations you’ve accessed your account from and, so on.
Everything in your Signal app messages, pictures, files, then on is stored locally on your phone. you’ll manually transfer data between devices, but that’s it.
Top Features Of Signal
- Linked Device: Signal app allows users to use the platform on as many devices Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage as possible, unlike WhatsApp. you’ll use the Signal app on your phone, laptop, tablet, or another device, all at a similar time. The multi-device feature is coming to.
- Group Video Call On Desktop: Unlike WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, iMessage. Signal also offers an option for video group calls on windows. the only is there on the mobile app also. However, there’s no group voice call option there. The method is extremely easy, all you would like to do is select contacts, add a name to the group, and click on the video call icon.
- End-to-end Encryption: The same as WhatsApp, all messages exchanged on Signal is end-to-end encrypted. This suggests all messages exchanged along with your friends are visible only to you and your friend and to nobody else.
- Night Mode: Signal also offers Light and Night mode options. The interface will be changed to dark or light whenever required by heading to the Settings menu, click on Appearance, enable the dark/light theme.
- Read Receipts: Once more, almost like WhatsApp, there’s an option for a read receipt. This feature is enabled or disables whenever required. Enabling read receipt means your contacts can see whether you check their messages or not. Disabling the option means, they’re going to not be able to see when or whether you check their message.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is used by users globally and is one of the foremost popular messaging platforms within the world. The platform has become a neighbourhood of our lives and replacing it’s a difficult task. However, it’s a proven fact that many users in India have deleted WhatsApp and switched to Signal. Adapting to Signal should be easy given both platforms have similar user interfaces and include features that are very like one another. The Signal app has been downloaded by a lot of users in India.
In the days to come back, it’ll be interesting to check whether the Signal app is going to be ready to replace WhatsApp within the country or not.
Source: http://dmai.co.in/blog/what-is-signal-app-and-why-is-everyone-using-it/