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> This info gives us an interesting opportunity to estimate the rate at which Signal is adding new users. They've been very tight-lipped (understandably) about
by jorvi 4y ago
> This info gives us an interesting opportunity to estimate the rate at which Signal is adding new users. They've been very tight-lipped (understandably) about their usage stats but anecdotally they seem to be an increasingly common presence on my friends' phones, even the non-techies.
I am assuming US or Germany.
I can't remember which thing it was exactly but there was a huge privacy scare in the US at some point which got people to switch in droves to Signal. Maybe the WhatsApp T&C change?
German's have always been more privacy-aware (hence they have a much bigger cash payment culture than almost anywhere else in North-West Europe) and it seems like a steady trickle is switching over.
But for example here in The Netherlands, I'd say 99% of people is on WhatsApp, 10% is on Telegram, and 0.1% is on privacy-focussed messaging services.
- mpol 4y agoYou might be in a different bubble than I am in :) Netherlands here. 80 contacts on my phone. 20 on Signal, of which 10 are quite normal people. Almost all 80 are on Whatsapp. No idea about Telegram.
- jorvi 4y agoAre you aware you are by far, far far far, irregular?
- SnowVivid 4y agoBelgium here. I don't have WhatsApp, Messenger, or any social network account. I only use Signal. Most of my contacts are on Signal (meaning people from work or close friends/family). I would say ballpark 85%+. My shrink and MD are on Signal. I'm lucky enough to work for an organisation that promote and emphasis privacy and security. I'm also quite a good evangelist to my family and few friends ;-) Once I step out of that circle/bubble of people, I realize how peculiar my situation is, mind you. I have 2 teenagers and sometimes I have to communicate with "regular" people. EDIT : in that case, I use regular email, SMS or phone calls. WhatsApp is widely used in Belgium, as is Messenger. My wife tried to remove WhatsApp at some point, but that made her social life too difficult.