WhatsApp’s recent policy change announcement has been widely criticized globally. WhatsApp has been asked to delete the account if it does not agree to the terms and conditions, including that WhatsApp users’ information is collected and shared with companies, including Facebook. In this context, there are reports that a large number of users are dropping out of WhatsApp and choosing other apps that fit their privacy policies.
The number of signal users has increased significantly after leading businessman Elon Musk tweeted yesterday that he would switch to a messaging app called Signal, which emphasizes privacy. The number of Telegram users, another messaging app, has also increased. The signal app is already very popular in many western countries, where WhatsApp has already expressed concern over its privacy promise. The Signal app’s downloads have been increased 79% from January 1 to January 6 compared to the last week of 2020.
Simultaneously, the Telegram app, which is more popular in India, has only a marginal increase of downloads in India, and the download ranking in Google Play had steadily risen over the past few days. Telegram’s adoption has increased in a high manner among the Indian users as people are using it more for sharing media, texts and exam preparation materials. With Elon Musk’s tweet’s appearance, the Signal has led to a sharp increase in the number of new account openers. “Verification codes are currently delayed across several providers because so many new people are trying to join Signal right now (we can barely register our excitement). We are working with carriers to resolve this as quickly as possible. Hang in there,” Signal app tweeted on Thursday. This interruption is mainly due to the increase in downloads making a rush in the server. Along with Elon Musk, Edward Snowden also encouraged the acceptance of the Signal app rather than WhatsApp. Earlier, Snowden was issued an arrest warrant by the United States for allegedly spying on intelligence agencies, including heads of state, and leaking phone and email information. To the question of why you are calling to use the Signal. His reply was, ‘I have been using the signal for a long time and I am not dead yet.’ Now the people have started to share jokes and memes as many have started to shift from WhatsApp to Signal and Telegram.
