SIGNAL is Skewed: Withdrawal from the promise of complete privacy

On its blog, the Signal has stated and detailed the new change it is undergoing. However, turning closed-source after establishing a user base based on openness is questionable.

When WhatsApp's privacy policy update became controversial, the majority of people became aware of the Signal app. Various sources urged people to abandon WhatsApp in favor of Signal and Telegram.  As an open-source application, The Signal claims to guarantee end-to-end encryption and privacy for your communications.

Signal has been attracting users in recent months, citing WhatsApp's lack of privacy policy. Many people began to download and use Signal once news of WhatsApp's new privacy change and its effect on end-to-end transcription spread and users became concerned about their privacy. Immediately, many users started to use Signal, but it didn't last long. Signal had a limited user base compared to WhatsApp, and new users didn't have many other people to communicate with.

Despite the fact that many of the new users returned to WhatsApp, Signal has worked hard to establish itself as a truly private and safe service. However, the newest talk is that Signal will no longer be an open-source program, therefore it will deviate from this level as well.

The Signal has announced and detailed the new transition that the Signal is going through on its blog. To maintain Signal as a spam-free communication service, it is shifting away from being an entirely open-source application by keeping a portion of the server private for the system to identify and fight spam campaigns.

Closed-source components on a centralized system indicate that the system's administrators may do whatever they like with user data without the users' knowledge. Currently, open source is the most reliable option to assure optimum privacy and security. With the new update, the Signal loses its reliability.

Signal tries its best to explain why security and privacy will continue to be preserved in the blog, as well as the grounds for this action. However, Signal got its users and reputation as an open source, and it has now unexpectedly turned into a closed source, which leads the experts to be skeptical.

Users who relied on Signal are now in a situation similar to when WhatsApp relaxed its privacy policy by claiming to share user data with third parties. Many users have expressed their worries on social media and the internet, and serious allegations have been made, such as if any major corporation provided the Signal Foundation a big financial offer in exchange for user data.

Since the 1990s, centralized messaging applications have followed the same policy. Initially, they give the finest and most secure service possible to get the largest number of users, then they begin to loosen their regulations in order to make a large profit.

You might be wondering if Signal's attempt to filter out unwanted messages and spam content is a smart idea. On the other hand, switching from open source is not mandatory for the removal of spam content. There are a number of open-source spam-blocking programs and email protocols available. The move to become a closed source without trying to do so should be seen as part of the Signal's long-planned mystery.