The messaging platform Signal said on Friday it was experiencing “technical difficulties” as it worked to accommodate millions of new users.
Some users have reported messages that fail to send to mobile and desktop applications for hours.
The company has seen a huge rise in interest since its rival WhatsApp introduced new privacy policies last week.
Record Growth
On Twitter, Signal said it had added servers at a “fast speed” ie, a ‘Record Pace’ and was working to restore resources.
“Millions upon millions of new users are sending a message that privacy matters,” it said in a tweet.
Both Signal and Telegram, another free encrypted messaging app, have taken advantage of the dissatisfaction caused by WhatsApp’s updated terms and conditions.
Whatsapp’s New Update
WhatsApp has told its two billion users that it must allow them to share information with its parent company Facebook if they want to continue using it.
This does not apply to users in the UK and Europe – but notice has been sent to everyone.
WhatsApp has emphasized that their practice of sharing information with Facebook is not new, nor is it growing. It said there had been “confusion” with its message, which initially gave people until February 8 to accept the terms of the service or stop using the service.
WhatsApp has now changed the cut-off date to 15 May, saying it will use that time to clarify incorrect details.
“We can’t see your private messages or hear your calls, as well as Facebook,” WhatsApp said in an original FAQ blog post.
8 Million Downloads
According to data from the statistics company Sensor Tower, Signal was downloaded 246,000 times worldwide a week before WhatsApp announced the change on January 4, and 8.8 million times the following week.
In India, downloads ranged from 12,000 to 2.7 million. In the UK, they jumped from 7,400 to 191,000, and in the US from 63,000 to 1.1 million.
On Wednesday, Telegram said it had surpassed 500 million users worldwide. Downloads dropped from 6.5 million in the week starting December 28, to 11 million the following week.
Data Whatsapp Is Sharing With Facebook
At the same time, WhatsApp downloads worldwide have dropped from 11.3 million to 9.2 million.
WhatsApp has said the data it shares from users outside the EU and UK does not include messages, groups or call logs.
However, it includes:
phone number and other details provided for registration (such as name)
details about the user’s phone, including design, model, and portable company
Internet protocol (IP) addresses, which indicate the user’s Internet connection
any payment and financial transactions made via WhatsApp
