This, paired with Elon Musk’s ‘Use Signal’ tweet has created quite a frenzy for a new instant message app. 

According to WhatsApp’s new policy, users will not be able to send or receive messages after February 8, until they accept the updated terms and conditions. One of the conditions being, that if the user refuses to share data with Facebook, they will have to quit WhatsApp. This information includes the user’s account information, address book information, status information, transactions and payments data, customer support communications and messages. In addition to this, it is also known to collect metadata but not much clarity is provided about what that implies. 

This is prompting users to switch to apps which give priority to privacy, like Signal and Telegram. Taking this opportunity, Signal shared a tweet showing users how to switch from WhatsApp to this new app, without explicitly mentioning the former’s name. 

What sets Signal apart? The app claims that it collects no data from you. Signal only needs your mobile number for registration, but according to reports, it doesn’t even link your phone number to your identity. Telegram on the other hand, which has been around much longer since the times of BBM, collects your name, phone number, contacts and user ID.  

While the entire eco-system is on WhatsApp at the moment, the switch from WhatsApp to other messaging apps has become the talk of the talk. Will 2021 be the year we leave WhatsApp behind?