The Signal Messenger recently published its data protection details in the Google Play Store long before the deadline. There is no surprise here. On April 26, 2022, Google announced a new feature for the Google Play Store: the data security section.
This section requires developers to provide information about how their app collects, shares, and protects user data. According to Google, app developers have until July 20 to fill out the privacy information for their apps. The non-profit Signal Foundation has now published this information for the encrypted messenger Signal.
Thanks to Signal’s focus on privacy, the list is very short. Only the phone number is collected by Signal for using the app.
In addition, Signal confirms on the Play Store that no data is shared with third-party companies and that data is encrypted in transit.
What data is considered “collected”
Of course, Signal also accesses other data on the user’s phone on a case-by-case basis, for example when a photo is sent to a contact. However, according to Google’s Play Store guidelines, this data is not considered “collected” if any of the following is true:
- An app only accesses the data on your device and does not forward it.
- Your data is forwarded by the device, but only processed on a session-specific basis.
Data is sent using end-to-end encryption.
The free messenger Signal is developed by the non-profit Signal Foundation. Signal’s source code is publicly available and can be viewed and reviewed by anyone interested.