Signal is UAE’s most downloaded and growing 1100% globally – technology

Dubai technical experts stressed the importance of caution and acting responsibly when exchanging messages through the WhatsApp app, especially after the app used by around 2 billion people around the world updated the Terms of Service and Data Privacy, which aim to share Usage Data with Facebook. , Indicating that the conditions will lead to a limitation of the protection of personal and business data, exposing them to greater risk, and treating their data as “fully exposed”.

Experts have pointed to the possibility of switching to using apps that are more respectful of user data privacy, like the chat and chat app “Signal”, which is currently ranked first in the UAE – like the rest of many countries – like the most downloaded applications on the “App Store”, the iOS store of the iPhone. And the thirteenth on the “Play Store” for Android phone applications, according to the “App Annie” site. Globally, Signal’s download rate has jumped to over 1,100%, after tech pioneer and world’s richest man Elon Musk in a tweet on Twitter yesterday called out users to switch to the Signal application, in short. Just: “Use Signal”.

The wealth of data

Experts have estimated that the wealth of personal and business data that the app will be able to extract from private conversations with WhatsApp users is considered a gold mine for Facebook, which has already been exposed in the past to a number of data leak scandals, the latest being in 2019, when developers managed to access the data of more than 267 million users on Facebook, the company admitted at the time that there was a loophole in its security system, which caused user data to be opened to thousands of application developers, in addition to revealing a leak of a database of numbers of communication lines, or 419 million linked phone numbers to accounts on Facebook the same year.

WhatsApp recently sent its users a message saying they must agree to the new terms of service by February 8, or stop the services of the app, which Facebook bought in 2014 for $ 19 billion. .

Experts pointed out that the new update will not only know the type of phone, operating system, battery status, signal strength, IP address, duration and time of use. of the app, status updates, groups and user photo only, but the new terms will legally allow WhatsApp August ”, by collecting data on purchases and electronic payments made by the user, it is likely that this could be a prelude to selling that data, and targeting users with specialized or targeted media posts, as in the case of Facebook.

Money transfer

The sources pointed out that WhatsApp is trying to emulate the WeChat app model, which is used by more than a billion people in China, to pay everywhere, transfer money, make purchases by serving ads, and offer gifts. the ability to purchase through the app.

Attorney Mujahid Al-Sebaei, partner at Galadray law firm in Dubai, said the responsibility for sharing data lies with the user, stressing the importance of awareness and caution regarding messages and data exchanged through the application, especially with the increase in the use of the WhatsApp application by many companies to communicate with His team after “Corona”. He added: “Users should be generally careful and aware when exchanging messages and data, and act responsibly, especially since large companies are being hacked. Users of communications and messaging sites should act responsibly, as individuals and as businesses, and treat their data as fully exposed.