Messaging platform Signal says it’s solved technical problems that have hampered its service within the past couple of days, after seeing a rush of new users.
On Friday, some users reported messages neglecting to send on both mobile and desktop programs for many hours.
The business has seen a huge uptick in interest since its rival WhatsApp unveiled new privacy provisions last week.
It encouraged users to continue with the service and report any further problems.
In a succession of tweets, it said users may see errors in a few of their chats, such as missed messages, but this would not affect their security.
“Signal is back!” It said.
“Like an underdog going through a training montage, we have learned a lot since yesterday – and we did it together.
“Thanks to the millions of new Signal users around the world to your patience”
Both Signal and Telegram, yet another free-to-use encrypted messaging program, have benefited from discontent sparked by WhatsApp’s updated terms and conditions.
WhatsApp told both billion users they need to allow it to share information with its parent firm Facebook if they wished to keep on using it.
This does not apply to users in the UK and Europe – however, the notification was sent to everybody.
WhatsApp and Facebook to share information out Europe
WhatsApp stressed the practice of sharing information with Facebook was not new, and was not being expanded. It said there was”confusion” regarding its message, which originally gave individuals until 8 February to accept its upgraded terms or stop using the service.
WhatsApp has changed the cut-off date to 15 May, saying it might use the time to clear up misinformation.
“We can not see your private messages or hear your requirements, and can Facebook,” WhatsApp said in an earlier FAQ blog article .
Based on data from analytics company Sensor Tower, Signal messaging platform was downloaded 246,000 times worldwide in the week until WhatsApp announced the shift on 4 January, and 8.8 million times the week after.
Back in India, downloads went from 12,000 to 2.7 million. In the UK, they leapt from 7,400 to 191,000, and in the US from 63,000 to 1.1 million.
On Wednesday, Telegram said that it had surpassed 500 million active users worldwide. Downloads jumped from 6.5 million in the week starting 28 December, to 11 million throughout the following week.
During the same interval, WhatsApp’s global downloads shrank from 11.3 million to 9.2 million.
What does WhatsApp share with Facebook?
WhatsApp has said the data it shares from users outside the EU and UK doesn’t include messages, classes or call logs.
However, it will include:
- Phone number and other info provided on registration (like title )
- information about the user’s phone, such as make, model, and cellular company
- internet protocol (IP) addresses, which indicate that the location of a user’s online connections
- any payments and financial transactions created over WhatsApp
