TORONTO – Signal’s encrypted chat app remained offline on Saturday as the company faced technical difficulties amid an increase in new downloads as users fled WhatsApp’s new privacy terms.
A rival to Telegram and WhatsApp, Signal also uses end-to-end encryption for secure messaging.
He the company tweeted on Friday who experienced “technical difficulties” when “millions and millions of new users” downloaded their app.
Many of these new users are fleeing WhatsApp and its new privacy conditions they announced last week.
WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, told its two billion users that if they want to continue using their service, they must allow them to share their data with their parent company, except for users in the UK and Europe.
WhatsApp said in a blog post that its terms were not new, they were simply expanded, and that they could not view private messages or listen to personal calls, nor Facebook.
The rapid exodus of users after its announcement caused WhatsApp to delay the implementation of its extended privacy conditions from the original date of February 8, 2021 to May 15, 2021.
Signal said they were adding new servers and additional capacity to continue managing the new maximum traffic levels.