Switching from WhatsApp to Signal: this is what you need to know
In recent weeks, more and more people have considered switching from WhatsApp to Signal. The app is rapidly gaining in popularity and is topping many download charts. But what are the main differences between WhatsApp and Signal? And is switching a wise choice in terms of privacy? We're here to help you out.
Similarities
Both WhatsApp and Signal are messaging apps that allow users to chat, call, and video call one-on-one and in groups. They use end-to-end encryption, which means that only the sender and receiver can read the messages. Interestingly, Signal was co-developed by one of the founders of WhatsApp, who left the company after Meta (formerly Facebook) acquired it. And WhatsApp makes use of an encryption protocol developed by Signal.
There are several crucial differences between the two apps.
Big Tech
WhatsApp is owned by Meta, lead by Mark Zuckerberg, a company that also owns Facebook and Instagram. Meta is part of Big Tech, meaning it is extremely dominant. This dominance leads to various issues, including a harmful concentration of power. Another defining characteristic of Big Tech is its revenue model. Meta makes money by tracking and profiling users and displaying personalized ads based on their online behavior and preferences.
Signal, on the other hand, is a nonprofit organization and not part of Big Tech. The app receives donations and does not profit from tracking, profiling or advertising.
Privacy and metadata
WhatsApp collects communication metadata, which includes information about how, when, and with whom you communicate. Meta can combine this data with information from Facebook, Instagram, and millions of other websites through its trackers and cookies. Meta's data collection is aimed at creating profiles of users in order to target and manipulate them. Although WhatsApp claims that currently metadata is not used for advertising purposes, we cannot verify this. Furthermore, the mere fact that WhatsApp collects your metadata is already a significant invasion of your privacy, warranting a switch to another app.
In contrast, Signal does not collect any metadata about your communication with others. Even your profile information is encrypted, which means the app does not have access to it. This makes Signal a much more privacy-friendly choice.
Open source and transparency
WhatsApp's source code is not publicly available, which means no one can look "under the hood" and verify how the app handles user data. On the other hand, Signal's source code is publicly available and can be reviewed by independent outsiders. This contributes to the transparency and safety of the app.
Is switching a good idea?
Many people are considering the switch to Signal, which makes sense. The app offers significantly better privacy protection than WhatsApp. However, there are some caveats to such a transition.
First of all, switching is not always straightforward. Not everyone in your contact list will be willing to move to Signal, and there is no direct link between the two apps. As a result, WhatsApp might remain a necessary communication channel for many.
Additionally, there is the risk that if all users were to switch from WhatsApp to Signal, this app could end up with the same monopoly position. While Signal is more privacy-friendly, it is still dangerous for society to become dependent on a single app for communication. If that one app experiences an outage, we all lose our communication channel. Furthermore, if that app decides to implement certain policies, we are all subject to them, just as we are now with WhatsApp. This is why we have long advocated for interoperability, a system in which apps can communicate with each other: a user of app A can send a message to a user of app B.
Bits of Freedom will continue to advocate for a diverse communication landscape so that we do not have to rely on one or just a handful of apps. Until then, we recommend that you consider which app best suits your needs.