Signal is a secure cross-platform messaging app that has become especially popular in the wake of privacy concerns. It is designed to keep your messages and data private and uses end-to-end encryption to protect your conversations, making it virtually impossible for anyone to intercept or read them.
Signal supports group messaging and voice and video calls, all of which are encrypted to ensure maximum privacy. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices and is also available for PCs running on macOS, Windows,
and Linux.
Signal creator Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton, who also co-founded the popular messaging app WhatsApp, formed the non-profit Signal Foundation and its subsidiary, Signal Messenger LLC, in 2018. The app is open-source, meaning that anyone can view and modify its source code, making it highly transparent and trustworthy.
Signal Key Features
Even though Signal has the same basic features that any similar messenger does (like text, voice, and video messaging or file sharing), ultimate adherence to privacy and security is what makes it really stand out.
Here are some of Signal’s strongest security features:
- No data collection
One of the key features of Signal is its commitment to user privacy – the app collects virtually no user data. The only information you give the app is your phone number to allow for contact finding and make sure that users are unique. - Non-profit status
Most popular messengers are owned by tech giants, whereas Signal is a non-profit organization run by a foundation, not a for-profit company. There’s no incentive to collect and profit from user data. Signal has no ads and will remain free to download and use. - End-to-end encryption
Signal is known for its strong encryption standards based on the open-source Signal Protocol. Signal’s end-to-end encryption feature is a security technology that ensures that messages and calls sent through the Signal app are encrypted and can only be read by the intended recipients. - Open-source
The app’s source code is available to the public, which allows anyone to contribute to its development. Security analysts worldwide can test the app to determine whether it’s secure. This also means that Signal is a community-driven project, and its development is not controlled by any single company or organization.
Overall, Signal is one of the best secure and privacy-oriented messaging options out there for those who want to regain control of their data. Anyone in any line of work that needs to communicate securely and is looking for enhanced privacy and data security, like journalists or activists, will benefit from using this communication app.
