Privacy -oriented messaging app signals have been flying high in the Netherlands App Store last month, and are frequently located as the most downloaded free app from iOS and Android in all categories, depending on the data of various app tracking platforms such as sensor tower.
The app has soared over the years. This is because the signal has made its own name with more privacy -friendly options. This is operated by non -profit (based on the United States) rather than a personal business that focuses on generating data revenue. The signal also tracks the minimum metadata.
In 2025, it is not surprising that the new US president is emphasized by the warm hug of BIG TECH, and the digital privacy tool is especially attracting President Trump’s anger in Europe.
But this time, especially catching the eye is the signal of the signal in the Netherlands, a very specific locale.
In an interview with the Dutch newspaper de Telegraf last week, the Meredith Whittaker signal chairman pointed out that the number of “new registrations” in the Netherlands has increased by 25 times this year, but it is not clear what the exact comparison period of the data is.
While asked why the Netherlands had seen such growth, Whittaker pointed out the combination of “increasing awareness of personal information, distrust of Big Tech, and how vulnerable to people are weak.”
Data provided to Techcrunch in the Netherlands of Appfigures Chart signal App Intelligence. According to the data, the signal was 365th among the Dutch non -game iPhone apps on January 1 and did not appear in the list of all apps. Then the ranking began to rise from January 5 to February 2.
The signal was deeply digging deeper from February 22 to February 22 to February 22. As the data deeply digs deeper into the data, Appfigures has soared to 99,000 in January, with an estimated that the entire download of the Apple and Google App Store in December 2024 and surged to 233,000 from February February.
Some of these growth may be due to signals that are lower than other markets, but the highest position of the app is remarkable compared to the nearby market of similar size.
Appfigures told TechCrunch, “In terms of growth between December and February, other markets are not close to the Netherlands.
Since December, Belgium has increased more than 250%, Sweden in 153%and Denmark 95%.
So why are you experiencing that a signal is called a Redditor in the Netherlands as a “mass adoption moment.”
Clear signal
Rejo Zenger, a chief policy advisor of Dutch Digital Rights Foundation of Freedom, said it is difficult to find a specific reason, but it is not surprised.
The recent development of the United States has seen that large platform providers coincide with the new Trump administration, which has stopped significant public and media discussions. Europe’s dependence on the technology of a huge private company in the United States has focused on the debate.
Zenger said, “The Netherlands, like many others, relies heavily on the infrastructure provided by a very dominant technology company from the United States. “This means and risks that arise from this have been greatly proved in the last few weeks. As a result, the Dutch public debate was relatively sharp. In the past, this problem was discussed only at the level of ‘You need to use any instant messenger‘Now we think we are discussing at a higher level.’We must eliminate this dependence. ‘“”
In this context, the public can conflict with the abuse of data protection. As companies such as META regularly investigate and impose data on data privacy practices, the signal is based on the United States, but it is operated by a non -profit organization that guarantees encryption of message content and surrounding metadata.
Vincent Böhre, director of Dutch Privacy Organization Privacy First, also pointed out the increase in media reports and a wide range of public opinion.
“Since Trump was re -elected a few months ago, there have been many” bangs “of Trump’s Trump and Elon MUSK, and there were European mainstream media, including the bangs of a large US company. “The articles that criticize X (previous Twitter) and Meta have come out of the Dutch media everywhere, and the Dutch public opinion has changed. Even those who do not know or worry about the personal information and security of social media have suddenly became interested in ‘personal information -friendly’ alternatives, especially signals.”
Signal
The Netherlands has only 18 million, with more than 700 million European population, but the surge in adoption is especially a widespread trend of the entire continent as the government tries to lower privacy barriers.
For example, Apple recently brought end -to -end encryption from the UK’s iCloud, responding to the government’s efforts to install backdoor installation.
Whittaker spoke in Rightson 25 in Taiwan this week and reaffirmed the signal of the personal information protection of the signal.
Whittaker said, “The signal position on this is very clear-we will not report, adultery or disturb the powerful personal information protection and security that people depend on. “Whether it is called a client-side scanning, or whether it removes encryption from one or other functions similar to what Apple did in the UK,”
Separately, in an interview with Swedish public broadcaster SVT, Whittaker said that it would not comply with the proposed Swedish law that requires a messaging app manufacturer that signal must store a message.
Whittaker said, “In fact, this means that we will break the encryption, the foundation of our entire business. “If you ask to save the data, you will undermine the entire architecture and never do it. We will rather leave the Swedish market completely. ”
Techcrunch signaled for comment, but did not hear it at the time of publication.
