Why I Use Signal

Signal is a messaging app built by a non-profit organization with one stated goal: secure communication for everyone, regardless of what device they use.

It is open source, which means anyone can inspect the code and verify that it does what it claims. No hidden data collection. No advertising. No business model that depends on knowing things about you. It is funded entirely by donations and grants.

The encryption protocols Signal developed are considered so robust that WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Google Messages have all adopted them. Think about that for a moment. Some of the largest and most well-funded technology companies in the world looked at what a non-profit built in the public interest and said: we cannot do better than this.

The difference is that Signal stops there. WhatsApp encrypts your messages but still collects metadata — who you talked to, when, and how often — and shares it with Meta. Signal collects almost none of that. Your phone number, your account creation date, and the last time you connected. That is it.

If you want a messaging app that exists purely to let you communicate privately, Signal is it.