Signal President Meredith Whittaker Critiques Telegram and Upholds Privacy as Non-Negotiable
By Florian Hetz and Jordi Pérez Colomé | EL PAÍS English — September 14, 2025
Signal, the encrypted messaging app celebrated for its strong privacy standards, continues to grow amid rising global privacy concerns and governmental pressures. Meredith Whittaker, president of the Signal Foundation, recently gave her first interview to a Spanish-language publication since taking on her leadership role in 2022, laying out the stark differences between Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram — its major competitors — and emphasizing Signal’s unwavering commitment to privacy.
The Gold Standard in Private Messaging
Meredith Whittaker likens Signal’s privacy protections to the difference “between 10% gold mixed with 90% brass and 100% gold.” While WhatsApp, despite using Signal’s encryption technology, collects extensive user metadata, Signal operates with absolute privacy as its sole focus. The app collects no unnecessary data, making it impossible for the company to comply with government or law enforcement demands for user information.
Whittaker explained, “We literally cannot turn that information over, even if you put a gun to my head.” She stressed that while WhatsApp licenses Signal’s encryption technology, it compromises user privacy by retaining intimate details such as contact lists, profile photos, and communication metadata that can reveal sensitive information.
Telegram: Marketing Over Substance
Unlike Signal’s straightforward approach, Telegram mixes messaging with social network features and applies end-to-end encryption only selectively. Whittaker criticized Telegram for leveraging marketing hype to create a misleading image of privacy that does not hold up under technical scrutiny.
“There are not that many people who can validate those claims, and sadly, it’s way too easy for marketing to replace substance. That’s exactly what’s happened with Telegram,” she said. Whittaker emphasized that Telegram’s misleading privacy claims have had severe real-world consequences. Authoritarian regimes have reportedly targeted users after intercepting group chats on Telegram, undermining the users’ safety when they assumed privacy protection.
Challenges in Building a Private Communication Network
A critical obstacle for Signal is the “network effect”: messaging apps gain value as more people use them, but getting users to switch away from entrenched platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram is difficult. “Even the most ideologically committed cryptographer living in Berlin can’t use Signal if their friends don’t use it,” Whittaker explained.
She acknowledged users’ reluctance to adopt yet another app but also noted shifting circumstances—such as workplace privacy concerns or social groups seeking secure communication—prompt gradual adoption of Signal. “People change. It happens in groups,” she said.
Defending Privacy Against Governments and Corporations
Whittaker framed Signal’s mission as an ongoing battle against “incredibly powerful corporations” that monetize personal data and against governments pushing for weakened encryption under the pretext of law enforcement needs.
Significantly, the European Union is considering legislation—known as Chat Control—that would require messaging apps to weaken encryption to scan messages for illegal content such as child exploitation material. Signal has pledged not to comply with such measures that compromise user privacy, even if it means being forced to leave specific markets.
“We take our responsibility with people who rely on us really seriously,” Whittaker stated. She voiced concern that illiberal political forces combined with technological misunderstandings could jeopardize privacy for people worldwide.
Signal’s Global Footprint and Future Prospects
Although Signal’s user base remains small relative to WhatsApp and Telegram—especially in Spanish-speaking markets—Whittaker remains optimistic about growth. Signal ranks among the top messaging apps in the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland and is gradually expanding its presence across Latin America and Europe.
Founded in 2014 and operated by a nonprofit foundation, Signal is guided by co-founder Brian Acton, the original creator of WhatsApp, who left that company to prioritize privacy over profit. Whittaker’s leadership focuses on “moral clarity” and developing the app without sacrificing ethical values for corporate interests.
Conclusion
Meredith Whittaker’s candid remarks underscore the critical distinctions between messaging apps in terms of privacy and the broader tensions between privacy advocates and governments seeking greater surveillance capabilities. As debates over encryption and user data continue globally, Signal aims to remain a “gold standard” for private communication, dedicated to protecting users even amid significant political and commercial pressure.
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