TORONTO – The encrypted chat app Signal remained offline on Saturday as the company dealt with technical difficulties amid a wave of new downloads as users fled WhatsApp’s new privacy terms.
A rival of Telegram and WhatsApp, Signal also employs end-to-end encryption for secure messages.
O company tweeted Friday who were experiencing “technical difficulties” while “millions and millions of new users” downloaded their app.
Many of these new users are fleeing WhatsApp and its new privacy terms they announced last week.
WhatsApp, which belongs to Facebook, told its two billion users that if they want to continue using its service, they should allow it to share their data with its parent company – except for users in the UK and Europe.
WhatsApp said in a blog post that its terms are not new, just expanded – and that they cannot see private messages or listen to personal calls – and neither does Facebook.
The rapid exodus of users after its announcement led WhatsApp to delay the implementation of its expanded privacy terms from the original date of February 8, 2021 to May 15, 2021.
Signal said they are adding new servers and extra capacity to continue to deal with the new peak traffic levels.