All you want to know about Signal App
Signal App is just a messaging app like Facebook’s WhatsApp. The signal app is trending because of the WhatsApp’s new privacy policy. Last week the most popular WhatsApp announced its new privacy policy and the data it collects will be shared by its parent company Facebook. Users were unhappy with the data it collects, and Facebook have a bad past of leak of 50 million accounts data from its source. CEO of Tesla Elon Musk suggested Signal app.
Due to the high demand signal app has become a top downloading app in both google play store and Apple app store. The Signal app is just quite like WhatsApp.
What is Signal App
Signal is just a messaging app available in India and in other markets. The company says that unlike other messaging apps Signal is safe and secure to use. All messages in the signal are protected with end-to-end encryption. The app is developed by the Signal foundation and Signal messenger LLC and it is a non-profitable company. The app is created by Moxie Marlinspike. Moxie is current CEO of Signal messenger.
The Signal Foundation was started by WhatsApp co-founder Brain Acton and Marlinspike. They left WhatsApp back in 2017 and started Signal with $50million.
Signal app is completely free to use. Same as Facebook Signal allows you to send messages, links, documents, and other files. Signal allows you to make audio and video calls. Signal has recently introduced group video calling in December 2020. Groups in signal are limited with 150 members. Only with user’s acceptance they are added into the group with the invitation link, unlike the WhatsApp someone in your contacts can directly add you within the group.
Signal has emoji-based reactions to a particular selected message; we can even delete messages choosing “delete for everyone” option. Signal even have disappearing messages feature. You can set disappearing on each individual chat and time from 5 seconds to at least one week.
But the Signal app focuses on privacy totally. Not just end-to-end encryption, but app chooses to collect minimal user data. Like WhatsApp we can even use signal on laptop and iPad too. But the chat history will not be seen when you link your account in laptop. That is because all messages are stored in the individual devices.
Signal App Backup features:
We cannot backup our messages with any third-party clouds like google drive or iCloud. When you set up you are app on a new device the previous chat will be lost. Signal says it stores the data on your phone locally. If you lost your phone or data is erased, then you cannot access with the previous chat data.
Signal App Privacy feature:
Signal app mainly focused on privacy. In Signal privacy setting you have an option called “relay calls” where call you make goes through signal server to avoid of revealing your IP address. But enabling this can reduce your call quality, Signal says it might not be necessary for everyone.
Signal also have the option read receipts, where someone can see when you have read your messages this option can be turned on or off manually. It also gives an option typing indicators to show when a message is being typed this option also can turned on or off manually.
There is also a security PIN that you can setup to keep your account safe and secure. You can set PIN reminder that Signal keeps asking you for the same. Remember this PIN cannot be recovered if you forget it. It just gives chance to change the PIN if you know previous PIN. If you forget the PIN, you will lose access to your account.
Signal also has screen lock feature, it has touch ID, face ID, and if your device is iOS then the device’s passcode will be the passcode to access the app. However, incoming calls and message notifications can be answered even the screen lock is enabled.
Data that Signal collects:
If you look at the Signal’s privacy policy the only data it collects is “contact info”, which is the phone number. The Signal app is designed to never collect or story any personal information. All messages and calls on the app are protected by end-to-end encryption, which means no third party nor Signal can access to your messages. As mention in above data of the Signal will not be stored in any type of third-party account.
According to signal the only information it collects is the phone number which is given primarily the phone number used to create the account. Signal says that the other information that added to the account such as profile name and picture is also end-to-end encrypted.
The app also stores some other information in their servers. Which are “randomly generated authentication tokens, keys, push tokens and other material that’s necessary to determine calls and transmit messages”. Signal does not story any information of your messages or personal information. Signals says that a user’s messages are stored in their own devices as mentioned above.
The app says they share some information with third parties to provide some services. For example, instance third-party services which give the verification code. The app makes it clear that it does not sell or rent any type of messages or your personal information at any cost.
Signal does not have any type of business option like WhatsApp has. Business can also join in Signal as a regular user.
