Signal’s encrypted messaging application faced long delays in checking the phone numbers of new accounts on Thursday due to a sharp increase in the number of people trying to join the platform.
In messages posted from its official Twitter account, the non-profit Signal Foundation said the verification codes were delayed in several cellular networks and that it worked through arrears as fast as it could.
Verification codes are currently delayed for many vendors because so many new people are trying to join Signal now (we can barely register our enthusiasm). We work with carriers to resolve this as soon as possible. Stand there. – Signal (@signalapp) January 7, 2021
While it is said that the problem was now solved, the increase in the number of Signal registrations followed the recent changes in the privacy policy highlighted by the rival messaging platform WhatsApp.
On Wednesday, WhatsApp began launching its latest terms and privacy policy, which allows the popular messaging app to share a significant amount of user data with Facebook. The changes, which are due to take effect on February 8, 2021, are mandatory and users will not be able to continue using WhatsApp unless they agree to the terms.
Users who agree to the terms can expect WhatsApp account registration and phone number, transaction data, service information, interaction information, mobile device information, IP address and other data to be shared with Facebook.
Facebook said The Verge the updated terms for messaging with companies and that nothing changes for regular users, however the lack of a waiver option and the amount of data sharing highlighted by the updated policy has raised privacy issues.
Last month, WhatsApp publicly protested Apple’s request that developers send information about user data they collect for privacy tags in the App Store, saying it could give its messaging app a competitive disadvantage.
At the end of last year, Apple implemented the “privacy labels” “App Store”. For the first time, it’s easy to compare how much data an app links to your account. When it comes to messaging apps, the contrast is pretty strong. pic.twitter.com/Ntw8sELMHX
– Morgan (@morqon) January 5, 2021
The increase in Signal users has also been linked to tweets from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has recently become the richest person in the world. As mentioned by The Verge, Musk continued a trend to criticize Facebook with a post on Twitter on Wednesday night, following the attack on the US Chapter building.
Musk shared a meme suggesting that the founding of Facebook eventually led to the day’s events and followed with a tweet suggesting that 41.5 million voters “use Signal,” probably instead of a Facebook-owned product, such as would be WhatsApp. Musk’s suggestion was later retweeted by Edward Snowden, another prominent fan of Signal.
In particular, the Signal Foundation was co-founded and funded by Brian Acton, the former co-founder of WhatsApp who left the company after being bought by Facebook in 2014. Acton later urged his Twitter followers to delete Facebook.
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