[ad_1]
The Signal secure messaging service is down this morning with users reporting an inability to log into their account and verify their encrypted messages. The company reported a massive influx of new registrations over the past week, accelerated by chatter that Facebook-owned WhatsApp is planning to share user data with its parent social network.
The controversial change in privacy policies apparently reversed an early promise when Facebook acquired WhatsApp. Then he said he had no intention of sharing data with Facebook; updating this policy, it seems, has changed all that.
WhatsApp took a damage check tour earlier this week, suggesting that Facebook won’t have access to contacts in the messaging app, and promising it’s business as usual for things like ephemeral messages. However, the damage was probably already done. People were looking for another, more privacy-focused, multiplatform messaging service, and Signal – along with Telegram – was one recipient of that attention.
Although it’s been around for a while now, Signal was until recently one of the lesser-known messaging platforms for everyday consumers. That changed when, among others, the name of Tesla CEO Elon Musk verified the platform on his Twitter feed. On January 10, the company said the growth in user numbers had seen it “break traffic recordsBecause he added the ability to handle the extra load. Even then, some features – like group chats – struggled to work as expected.
This morning the situation has become much more problematic. “Signal is experiencing technical difficulties”, confirmed company Friday January 15. “We are working hard to restore service as quickly as possible.”
Those trying to access Signal on their phones may find themselves staring at the page’s loading screen rather than their inbox. New service registrations receive the confirmation code Signal sends to validate a new phone number, but the app usually crashes after entering it.
It’s a reminder that while the privacy policies of services like WhatsApp are not entirely to the liking of users, the availability of services is another huge issue. The signal is a 501c3 non-profit organization and relies on user donations rather than advertising or paid apps to pay for its servers, and as always, if you want to use the platform, it’s worth opening your wallet to support it.
[ad_2]
Source link