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GUANGZHOU, China – Downloads of privacy-focused messaging apps Signal and Telegram have increased as users looked for alternatives to Facebook’s WhatsApp due to concerns about changes to the service’s privacy policy.
Signal saw about 7.5 million installations globally through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store between January 6 and 10, according to Sensor Tower. That’s 43 times the number from the previous week. It is the largest number of weekly or even monthly installation for Signal in the application history.
Meanwhile, Telegram saw 5.6 million downloads globally from Wednesday to Sunday, according to Apptopia.
Signal claims to have “cutting edge end-to-end encryption” as part of its service, which prevents messages from being read by those who are not the intended recipient.
The increase in downloads for these two apps comes after WhatsApp released an update to its privacy policy on January 4. Since 2016, WhatsApp shares some data with Facebook. But users previously had a chance to cancel this.
But as of February 8, users will be asked in the app to accept the updated terms to continue using WhatsApp. Users in Europe and the United Kingdom will see a different message due to the data protection rules in those jurisdictions.
WhatsApp messages are encrypted, however, which means that Facebook won’t be able to see their content. But WhatsApp collects a lot of other data that can be shared with its parent company.
This data includes account registration information, such as your phone number, transaction data, information related to the service, information about how you interact with others, including companies when using the service and information from the mobile device.
In a statement on Monday, WhatsApp said the update did not affect the privacy of messages sent to friends and family. He clarified that the update will include “changes related to sending messages to a company on WhatsApp, which is optional, and provides more transparency about how we collect and use the data”.
WhatsApp claims that data shared with Facebook is used to help improve infrastructure, promote security and protection and refine services by making suggestions or personalizing resources and content. This may also include integration between Facebook branded products and WhatsApp.
Following the announcement, Tesla CEO Elon Musk urged his Twitter followers last week to “use Signal”.
Signal reported last week that verification codes sent to users via text message to start using the app have been delayed due to high demand. Signal said it added additional servers to handle the flow of new users.
“We continue to break traffic records and add capacity as more and more people accept how much they dislike Facebook’s new terms,” Signal said in a tweet. “If you haven’t been able to create a new group recently, try again. New servers are ready to serve you.”
Despite the increase in Signal and Telegram downloads, WhatsApp has not dropped, according to Adam Blacker, vice president of insights at Apptopia.
“It is very ingrained. My guess is that there are a very small number of people who use WhatsApp daily who are recently deleting it,” Blacker told CNBC via email.
“Even those who are downloading and using Signal or Telegram will continue to use WhatsApp, as that is where most of their friends and family are. They can start talking to certain people on Signal, but they still talk to their mother on WhatsApp.”