You Should Switch to Signal. Here’s Why.
Introduction
Over 85% adults in the U.S. own a smartphone, and most of them do some kind of text-based messaging. Standard text messaging (SMS) is popular because it works on almost all phones, but other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp have huge popularity, too. Unfortunately, these all have major privacy tradeoffs.
There is a better alternative: Signal. While this secure messaging application for iPhone, Android, and desktop was previously only popular with journalists and nerds, it’s gaining wider adoption. This is a good thing, and you should be using it, too. Why? It’s encrypted, it’s open source, and others can’t access your data. We’ll get into why each of those is important, but first, let’s look at what different messaging options can and can’t do.
Comparison of messaging options
Unfortunately, there is no compatibility between the different apps, so everyone you’re talking to needs to be using the same thing for messaging: SMS can only talk to SMS, WhatsApp to WhatsApp, etc. Signal has a number of similarities with SMS and other messaging apps, plus some notable benefits.
| Feature | SMS | RCS | iMessage | Facebook/Meta Messenger | Signal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native (no download/signup required) | Yes | Yes1 | No | No | No | No |
| Works on Android and iPhone | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| High-quality photos and videos | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Groups | Yes2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Replies | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reactions | No | Yes | Yes3 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Encrypted | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Usable without revealing broader contact info (phone number / email) | No | No | Yes | Yes | No4 | Yes |
| Open source | No5 | No5 | No | No | No | Yes |
- RCS isn't supported by all devices and carriers (yet?).
- There are sometimes issues with SMS group messages between Android and iPhone devices. Also, people can't be added to an existing chat without losing history, nor can they leave / be removed.
- Limited reaction options.
- WhatsApp requires a phone number, but there's a workaround using a fake one.
- While the software isn't open source, there are open standards for the underlying protocols: SMS and RCS.
See also: Apple’s comparison of messaging types.
Encryption
Without “end-to-end encryption”, someone in between you and the person you’re talking to can read your messages. Who might do such a thing?
China, Russia, and other authoritarian countries are known for intercepting messages and using them to punish dissent. Unfortunately, it’s not just them: Remember Edward Snowden? He exposed that the American and British governments were doing widespread surveillance on the public, including text messages.
“This doesn’t apply to me, I’m not important enough to be a target.”
Think about that again. Have you ever sent a message or a picture that you’d be embarrassed if a stranger saw? Have you ever sent a message with any other sensitive information? Are you someone considering abortion in a state where it’s illegal? If so, you should be using encrypted messaging.
Last Week Tonight did a segment that drives that point home:
If you don’t use encrypted messaging, you should assume that both the company and the government can see everything you send. Even though WhatsApp uses the same encryption Signal uses, it still controls the app at either end and shares data with Facebook.
This is obviously an even bigger deal for people like activists and victims of abuse. “Normal people” using Signal normalizes its use, which means people with even stronger needs for privacy can use it without that being a red flag.
Open source
Software being “open source” means that the code is available for anyone to see. Open source is important for security, because it means an even broader range of security researchers can look through it for vulnerabilities, rather than just people in one company. This means it’s possible to ensure that the app isn’t doing anything sketchy, such as social media apps tracking everything you do when you click links.
Access to data
When you install WhatsApp, it all but forces you to give your entire address book (phone numbers, emails, addresses, etc.) to Facebook. If you’re at all nervous about Big Tech, you should avoid using WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other messaging apps owned by them. Signal is run by a non-profit with a privacy-focused mission, and thus they are not incentivized to sell/profit off of your data.
Even if you aren’t worried about how those companies will use your data, them storing your messages means that they are a big target, which means hackers actively try to gain access to them. With that data centrally stored, it is also easier for government to gain access to it.
On Android, shady third party apps can ask for permission to access your text messages, and it’s way too easy to click through and do so. They will be even more reckless than major tech companies in using that content, if not actively malicious. Even with using Signal, you need to be careful with apps you download and the permissions you give them.
Conclusion
I have no official connection to Signal, and have nothing to gain from you switching. Signal is just better than both SMS and other messaging apps for both privacy and security, and the more people use it, the better off we all are.
Thanks for reading!