A few weeks ago, WhatsApp announced that it would update its terms of service. The updated terms required users to agree to share their data with Facebook.
Unfortunately, it was poorly explained, causing users to find alternatives services, like Signal and Telegram.
The departure of its users was significant enough that WhatsApp delayed its implementation. It was supposed to start on February 8.
To curb the damage, the app promoted a campaign explaining to users the changes it made to its terms.
But the campaign failed to appease its users. The millions of users flocked to Signal and Telegram.
Signal and Telegram Gained Users
Signal gained 7.5 million users around the world over the past three weeks. Telegram, on the other hand, attracted 25 million users from WhatsApp’s debacle.
WhatsApp Fell from 8th to 23rd
App Annie, a data tracking analytics firm, shows that the app went down from being on the 8th place most downloaded app at the start of the month to become the 23rd most downloaded app.
Signal wasn’t in the top 1,000 apps on January 6. After WhatsApp updated its terms and Elon Musk told his followers to use Signal, Signal became the most downloaded app in the UK.
The Updated Terms
WhatsApp didn’t change how it shared its data with Facebook. The update was supposed to enable new features in the business messaging. It also provided better transparency.
However, WhatsApp viral posts claimed that its policy allowed the app to read users’ messages and share the information with Facebook, its parent company.
With so much confusion going on, the app delayed the implementation of its new terms. It clarified that the policy update doesn’t affect the privacy of its users’ messages with friends and family.
“With these updates, none of that is changing. Instead, the update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. While not everyone shops with a business on WhatsApp today, we think that more people will choose to do so in the future and it’s important people are aware of these services. This update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook.”
Quick Shifts in Messaging Apps
It’s not unusual to see quick shifts in social network apps. How the social apps function affects its growth. It can move quickly based on current events.
Over the last few years, the demand for encrypted messaging apps is increasing.
Before the WhatsApp PR disaster, more and more people are using a privacy-focused messaging app.
Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp are just a few of the messaging apps that feature end-to-end encrypted data transfer. They also include self-destructing messages.
Is Telegram More Secure?
Compared to WhatsApp, Telegram’s end-to-end encryption applies to a secret chat. It’s an option that you must select for every contact.
WhatsApp, on the other hand, applies end-to-end encryption by default to each chat. But it doesn’t apply to chats between users and large businesses.