WhatsApp Data Policy Update Drives 4200% Spike in Signal Downloads
Following WhatsApp's announcement of a new data-sharing agreement with Facebook, rival encrypted messaging app Signal experiences a massive 4,200% increase in global downloads. High-profile endorsements from Elon Musk and Edward Snowden further accelerate the sudden user migration.
Rivals of WhatsApp experience a massive surge in popularity after the messaging app announces a new data-sharing agreement with its parent company Facebook. WhatsApp informs users outside the UK and European Union that they lose access to their accounts in February unless they agree to share personal data, including phone numbers and locations, with Facebook and its subsidiaries.
In the days following this controversial announcement, encrypted messaging service Signal sees a staggering 4,200% week-on-week increase in downloads. Data from app-analytics firm Sensor Tower reveals that Signal gains approximately 7.5 million global installs between January 6 and January 10, while rival app Telegram grows by 91% with 9 million new users. India leads this migration trend, accounting for the highest number of new downloads for both platforms.
The sudden influx of new users comes shortly after high-profile endorsements from Tesla billionaire Elon Musk and whistleblower Edward Snowden, both of whom publicly recommend the app on social media. This unprecedented growth places a heavy burden on Signal's infrastructure, causing temporary delays in the delivery of verification codes as the company works frantically with carriers to handle the overwhelming registration volume.