When it comes to communication platforms, there are many different options to choose from. Some include additional features, while others are easier to use. One of the most important factors to consider is how secure the platform is. We will be taking a look at Signal and WhatsApp, two popular apps, and determining which one has more security over the other one.
Signal
Signal is an app that you can install on an Android or Apple device. It has recently gained a surge in popularity, as many users have navigated over from WhatsApp. After you verify your phone number, texts, pictures, audio messages, and videos in Signal will be securely sent to another user’s device. In addition to this, Signal also encrypts local backups and metadata, which means that no one has information about who is sending messages and who is receiving them.
Signal does not collect your personal data to sell to third parties. It only collects your phone number to operate. This is a big selling point for the app, as the creators of the app will often showcase targeted ads that generate as a result of Facebook selling personal information. With Signal, you do not need to worry about receiving targeted ads, as there is no personal information collected from you.
Signal has an additional feature called disappearing messages. This is a method of cleansing a user’s message history, reducing the risk of theft of any sensitive information. To access this feature, you can enable it in your settings menu. You can also customize it so that certain chats have the messages disappear after a certain amount of time, while other chats do not. The time before messages disappear is up to four weeks after they send.
As with Signal, WhatsApp is available to both Android and Apple devices. The app is generally considered to be very easy to use and friendly to beginners. The platform also encrypts texts, videos, audio messages, and photos, so conversations between users can remain secure. Even with this in mind, it is important to remember that WhatsApp does not encrypt backup data or metadata.
When you want to have a group message, WhatsApp allows for up to 256 members in the same chat. For video calls, you will only be able to have eight people at one time. If you want to search for people online to add to your group chat using WhatsApp, you will need to already have their phone number. You cannot simply input their name into the app to find them.
Facebook owns WhatsApp, and so the app will collect as much information as possible to profit from your usage of the application. Some of the data that gets collected can include the following:
- The identification number of your device
- Your usage (time and activity) in WhatsApp
- Location
- Contact information
- Your purchase history
Common to Both
There are a few features specifically designed for privacy that both apps share. These include the following:
- Optional read receipts: If you do not want the other person to know if you have seen their message, you can turn off the read receipts. This way, you can take your time responding to the conversation and not feel as though you need to rush to answer. You also can turn off the typing icon so that the other person does not know when you are writing a message.
- Fingerprint lock: Both Signal and WhatsApp have the option of setting a fingerprint lock to access them. This can help preserve your privacy if your phone or device were to get stolen.
- Screenshots: When you do not want people to take screenshots of your conversations, you can turn off that feature. This option is in the settings of both apps.
- Keyboard: After using the keyboard on your device, many of them will save what you type as future autocorrections or suggestions. WhatsApp and Signal both have the choice of disabling this feature. If you want to turn it off, you will need to enable Incognito Keyboard in the settings.
- Encryption: Both communication apps use end-to-end encryption. This means that if a hacker or someone in a position of authority (such as a police officer) were to try and intercept your messages, they will be unable to read them. The messages would show up in a scrambled format and be of no use to anyone.
Which is More Secure?
Overall, Signal is the more secure messaging app. Both apps are largely similar in terms of security, meaning that your data is as safe as it can be against hackers and other similar unauthorized persons. In terms of privacy features, Signal has enhanced measures that have the purpose of keeping the identity of users safe and not profiting off their information.
In comparison to Signal, WhatsApp collects more information from users than is necessary to operate. Still, some users may find that WhatsApp’s ease of use and convenience makes up for its lack of privacy features. In either case, users will need to decide which they value more, convivence or privacy.
