Shots fired again: Elon Musk takes another jab at Facebook, this time reminds users to switch to Signal instead after WhatsApp updates privacy policy.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has suggested that users should switch to the Signal app in a tweet, directed against WhatsApp. This tweet comes after WhatsApp announced a revision to its privacy policy signalling further integration with Facebook over data sharing. Interestingly, WhatsApp uses the same end-to-end encryption protocol as Signal. Further, the Signal Foundation, which shares its name with the app, includes former WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton as one of its founders.
It looks like a lot more people are trying out Signal, and the app was not prepared to handle the influx of new users. Several of them were not getting verification codes to create an account in Signal app because of a flood of new users. “We are working with carriers to resolve this as quickly as possible. Hang in there,” Signal said on Twitter. In case you are unaware, Signal is a cross-platform encrypted messaging app, which has been downloaded by around ten million users already.
Musk also shared a meme on Twitter, suggesting that Facebook is responsible for the recent riots in the US Capitol in Washington. Besides, this is not the first time Musk has said something against Facebook.
In February last year, Musk had asked people on Twitter to delete Facebook accounts because the platform “lame.” Later on, he also tweeted “Facebook sucks” during a clash with Facebook’s artificial intelligence lead. In the year 2018, Musk deleted the Facebook pages for his companies and stated that he doesn’t like the particular social media platform. The new privacy policy of WhatsApp gave Musk another chance to take a jibe at the social media giant.
WhatsApp’s new privacy policy goes into effect on February 8, 2021. Users will have the option of deleting their account, if they do not wish to continue with the new policy, which relies on more data sharing with Facebook.
