A lot of users have been exiting WhatsApp to other messaging apps like Signal and Telegram.
Early last month, WhatsApp changed its privacy policy with an in-app alert to notify its users. They later announced that they will give more time for their recent service terms update that caused an uproar on social media. The changes will take effect in May instead of February.
The company is now using its Status feature to reassure its users about its privacy policies and clear up the misinformation and misperceptions and they will be sharing updates to its users in the Status tab.
Their fist update informed its users that WhatsApp can’t see its user’s personal messages since the app offers end-to-end encryption which means that neither Facebook nor WhatsApp can see the content of their messages.
“One thing that isn’t new is our commitment to your privacy. WhatsApp can’t read or listen to your personal conversations as they’re end-to-end encrypted,” read the update.
Anyway, the ongoing confusion led users to switch to rival messaging apps like Telegram and Signal.
Telegram even added WhatsApp chat export feature for both Android and iOS.
If you still want to stick with WhatsApp, here are some handy tips to help you fortify your security and privacy.
But if you’re still torn about which app to switch to, we break it down here – especially if you’re focusing on digital privacy.
Here are some privacy flaws with Telegram:
Only Secret Chats are fully end-to-end encrypted. This means encryption is not enabled by default for most chats on the app. Telegram only encrypts user-to-server connections, unlike WhatsApp and Signal who encrypt user-to-user connections.
Unlike Signal and WhatsApp, Telegram doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption for group chats. If you want a really private group chat, you are better off with Signal.
Cloud backups for sync on Telegram is a privacy issue. This means Telegram is able to see the contents of the messages sent through the app – if they wanted to.
If malicious actors got access to Telegrams’ servers, they would see all your conversations[messages, photos, audio recordings]. Signal doesn’t store messages on the cloud but rather on your device, so malicious actors won’t see any of your conversations.
To clarify, Telegram still offers encryption and internet service providers, network operators, and any third parties snooping on your internet activity can’t see the contents of your messages.
Telegram collects user metadata which includes IP addresses(this can reveal location data).
Signal doesn’t. In fact, the only data it collects is the date a user created their account and the date they were last connected.
Even though Signal isn’t as feature-rich as its rivals, it’s the best option if you view it from a security and privacy standpoint.
