Tesla CEO Elon Musk who was recently established as the world's wealthiest person, is not a fan of Facebook. Over the years, he has spoken out on several occasions about how "Facebook sucks" and how he was not a fan of the company.
"It’s not a political statement and I didn’t do this because someone dared me to do it. Just don’t like Facebook. Gives me the willies. Sorry," he tweeted after Tesla and SpaceX left Facebook in 2018.
Now, as WhatsApp updates its Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, Musk has taken it upon himself to urge people to use Signal. In case you are unaware of the ongoing debate, the WhatsApp update is part of Facebook's efforts to integrate the various platforms under it. The changes will now make it necessary for users to agree to their information being shared with Facebook and its subsidiaries.
And as outrage over the changes mounted, Elon Musk had some advice for netizens. "Use Signal," reads a simple tweet from Thursday. And if an update from the company is anything to go by, people are definitely listening.
Now, to be fair, Musk is not the only person to have advocated a switch to Signal over the last few days. Many on social media platforms have called for a move away from WhatsApp - something that appears to have been multiplied manifold after Musk's post.
Hours after Elon Musk tweeted out his suggestion, Signal tweeted that their platform was being overwhelmed by new downloads. "Verification codes are currently delayed across several providers because so many new people are trying to join Signal right now (we can barely register our excitement). We are working with carriers to resolve this as quickly as possible. Hang in there," the company tweeted. In a later update they said that the issue had been resolved.
Over the last few days, as many began suggesting the use of Signal, the company had also taken to the trend with enthusiasm, touting its open-source encryption software and pointing out that the app offered all the amenities that it's competitors do - from messaging, voice and video calls to the use of emojis and stickers.
"A lot of people have been asking how to move their group chats from other apps to Signal, and Signal group links are a great way to get started. Drop a group link into your former chat app of choice like you're dropping the mic on the way out," reads their latest post.
