Switch to Signal for Private Messaging
Signal is the gold standard for private communication. End-to-end encrypted with minimal metadata collection.
Alternatives surveillancedata-collectionmessagingencryption
+15
Impact
5
Minutes
easy
Level
Actions
- 1 Download Signal from the App Store
- 2 Register with your phone number (required for account creation)
- 3 Set a PIN to protect your account
- 4 Enable 'Registration Lock' in Settings → Account
- 5 Invite your frequently messaged contacts to join
- 6 Set Signal as your default messaging app for texts
Context
Regular text messages (SMS) are completely unencrypted—your carrier can read them, hackers can intercept them, and they're often stored indefinitely. WhatsApp encrypts messages but collects extensive metadata about who you talk to and when. Signal encrypts everything and collects almost nothing. It's used by journalists, activists, and security researchers worldwide. Even the US Congress has been told to use Signal for sensitive communications.
Signal collects only your phone number and last connection date—compared to dozens of data points collected by other messaging apps.
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