Signal sees its downloads double after scandal

Encrypted messaging app Signal continues to see spiking downloads in the wake of the messaging scandal, which saw The Atlantic’s editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg added to a group chat where high-ranking officials in the Trump administration were discussing an attack on Houthi rebels in Yemen. The resulting press coverage around the leak of these sensitive plans has been driving more people to check out Signal’s app for the first time, leading to a doubling of its downloads. According to app intelligence provider Appfigures, downloads rose by 26% on the day the news broke, an indication that users were curious about the app being used by members of the Trump administration. The next day, downloads jumped to 193,000 and by Wednesday hit an all-time high of 195,000, the firm noted. By comparison, Signal typically sees an average of 95,000 downloads on an average day. Appfigures has been tracking the impact of the scandal on Signal’s app from day one. It earlier found that Signal app do ... Read full article.