Signal’s rising social media messaging platform recently shared some vital information regarding annoying Instagram ads.
Encrypted chat app Signal blocked multiple targeted ads from Instagram recently. It also tried to expose them to the users to show how the Facebook-owned service collects their data.
Signal blocks ads from Instagram given privacy
In its blog post, Signal shared how it generated ads in showing the users why they were seeing them.
“We created a multi-variant targeted ad designed to show you the personal data that Facebook collects about you and sells access to,” said the encrypted messaging platform.
“The ad would display some of the information collected about the viewer which the advertising platform uses. Facebook was not into that idea.”
Signal has tried to show just how much clear its stance is in showing ads. And unlike Facebook or its Instagram app, it doesn’t hide anything from the users.
It becomes evident with the following statement from the platform:
“Being transparent about how ads use people’s data is apparently enough to get banned; in Facebook’s world, the only acceptable usage is to hide what you’re doing from your audience.”
Signal has witnessed a boost in downloads and newly registered users in the last three to four months.
It was because Facebook’s WhatsApp made a blunder with its new privacy policy notification last December.
After many people expressed disappointment and angst against the popular chat app, there was a new interest in alternatives. Since then, the popularity of other platforms has increased heavily.
READ MORE: WhatsApp down! The Signal app sees a surge in popularity.
Growing concern for private user data
Since the time of Apple’s reveal iOS 14 in June 2020, there has been a lot of focus on privacy. It wasn’t the case at all a few years ago.
But when people were shown how their data was being used and manipulated, they became pretty aware.
As a result of growing concern, users nowadays lookout for secure and safer services to communicate.
A big impact has been on the side of social media as well. While some individuals still don’t care much about their privacy, others have migrated to new options.
Due to criticism of apps like WhatsApp and Facebook and how they use personal information, new players have emerged in competition. This is a good thing, as people will have multiple choices regarding trying out a particular portal.
It also seems more likely that Signal-like encrypted services will only grow further in the coming years because the significance of people’s private moments has now become valuable, again!
Image courtesy of App Of The Day/YouTube