Why are users leaving WhatsApp?

One of the world's most popular communication applications, WhatsApp, has recently seen a decline in the number of users - some have migrated to other communication applications, such as Telegram or Signal, for others, this app simply no longer works.

As soon as WhatsApp announced its new privacy policy, which users must approve by February 8 this year if they want to continue using this communication platform, some users left it and switched to other communication applications, such as Telegram or Signal. The reason for this mass migration was not that users had to confirm something, but the concern that WhatsApp would share more user information with its parent company, Facebook.

Past users are unlikely to return after WhatsApp's decision not to implement the new privacy policy for now. WhatsApp promises on its blog that it will gradually reach out to people so that they can review the new policy with no rush before it takes effect, and no user will have their account suspended or deleted on February 8th. However, this does not mean that WhatsApp has now abandoned its privacy policy. It might take effect on May 15.

"We can’t see your personal messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook. We don’t keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling. We can’t see your shared location and neither can Facebook. The update addresses how merchants who use WhatsApp to chat with customers can share data with Facebook, which could use this information for targeted advertising," explains WhatsApp on its blog.

However, for users with older phones, WhatsApp has not been available since January 1. This issue affects users with Android 4.0.3 and iOS 9 or older.

High point for Telegram and Signal

WhatsApp's new privacy policy is like a treat for other communication platforms such as Signal and Telegram. Both of these apps have seen a record influx of users in recent weeks.

Pavel Durov, the creator of the Telegram platform, points out that Telegram already has more than 500 million active users per month and many of them have joined recently. The information gathered by Telegram shows that Telegram registered 25 million new users in 3 days last week.

Several Latvian state institutions, such as the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD) and the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC), have also set up their channels on the Telegram messaging platform.

MEPRD opened its Telegram account on January 6. The issues under the Ministry's responsibility - environmental and nature protection, local government supervision, regional development and digital transformation - affect and are of interest to a wide range of Latvian residents, therefore the Ministry wants to use such communication tools to make information about MEPRD work easily accessible to various audiences. The Minister and MEPRD also communicate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

"The Ministry deals with a number of issues of public importance on a daily basis, and we have purposefully informed the public about the decisions and reforms led by the Ministry, trying to reach the widest possible audience to increase awareness and strengthen public confidence in public administration in general, and just as important is receiving valuable comments. No matter what communication platform we each use, we want our policies, the decisions we take and, most importantly, the explanation of why they are needed, to be understood by the public. We have added the Telegram platform to the existing communication channels,” emphasizes Artūrs Toms Plešs (AP), Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

Neatkarīgā also has Telegram and Signal channels

To inform those users who currently use or will use Telegram or Signal applications about the current events in the world and in Latvia, Neatkarīgā has also established its channel on these messaging platforms. The channel of the Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze on these platforms can be found under the name Neatkarīgā or on the Telegram platform here and on the Signal platform here.

Neatkarīgā shares verified and reliable information, the most interesting events in Latvia and the world, interviews, investigative journalism, opinion pieces, etc. on these channels daily.

Safety first

The functionality of the Telegram application is much broader than just messaging. It incorporates a variety of features that combine communication, messaging and social media elements, so security and privacy issues are very important.

"The most important tip might be to make sure you fully understand the functionality of each application installed on your device, including Telegram. When it comes to Telegram, it would be more correct to call it a platform, because its functions are much broader than simply messaging,” says Andis Šteinmanis, Kaspersky's head of the Baltics. "For example, Telegram shows people nearby. Therefore, when you or your children use Telegram, you must understand that in addition to the functionality of the messaging app, it has elements of dating apps and message boards whose users can freely post any type of content that is visible to you or others. Although the current version of the app does not allow these groups to be turned off, you can still adjust your Telegram settings to prevent your location from being broadcast and become invisible to nearby users."

For reference

7 tips to make Telegram as private and secure as possible

1. Select a user name and use that instead of your real name or your phone number when chatting with others.
2. Activate 2-step verification. This feature is located in Settings -> Privacy and Security -> Two-step Verification.
3. When chatting with others, consider using Secret Chats. This means that your chats will have better encryption - each message will be encrypted with two keys available only to you and the recipient.
4. When chatting or calling others, use a virtual private network connection.
5. Regularly review the Active Sessions option in Settings -> Privacy and Security. This helps you know if your Telegram account is active on a device other than yours. If you notice anything unfamiliar or suspicious, end these sessions and change the two-step verification password.
6. When registering for Telegram, use a virtual number instead of your real mobile number to maximize privacy integrity. Make sure it's not a one-time virtual number, otherwise someone may hijack your account anyway. The virtual number belongs to you but is not associated with your mobile carrier.
7. Make sure your information is confidential to the best of your ability. In the Settings section, Privacy and Security subsection, you can adjust the level of disclosure.

• Your phone number. Select Phone number -> Who can see my phone number? Switch it to Nobody. Switch Who can find me by my number? to My Contacts.
• Who can see your activity. Tap Last Seen & Online and switch to Nobody.
• Who can see your profile. Open Profile Photos and select My Contacts.
• Who can view your account after tapping your name in a message sent by you. In the Who can add a link to my account when forwarding my messages? select Forwarded Messages and choose My Contacts.
• Who can call you. Open Calls section. If you want to receive calls from any Internet user who has your username, select Everybody. Here is one important setting. When we call each other, it's usually through a peer-to-peer connection. This means that the call is established directly between two or more users without the use of Telegram servers. Although it improves the quality of the communication, the user's IP address is disclosed. To improve the security of your Peer-to-Peer setting, use the My contacts option.
• Who can invite you to message boards. Open Groups. If you don't want someone to be able to add you to a random group without your prior consent, use the My Contacts option.
• Who can see your messages while looking at your smartphone. Select Passcode Lock - activate it if you want to minimize the risk of someone picking up your phone from accessing your messages. If the code is activated, Telegram will ask for it each time you open the app, or your fingerprint if that has been activated.