Over 30 Million Users Leave WhatsApp

More than 30 million users have left WhatsApp since the beginning of the year, according to the British publication The Guardian. As a result of actions taken by WhatsApp’s owners, users have started switching to other messaging apps such as Signal and Telegram.

Mass Migration to Signal and Telegram

According to estimates from a British parliamentary committee, in just the first three weeks of January, Signal gained 7.5 million new users, while Telegram added about 25 million users. This growth rate is significantly higher than usual for these services.

Reasons Behind the Exodus

Journalists note that the mass exodus from WhatsApp is linked to a poorly prepared update to the platform’s terms of service. Many users saw the changes as a threat to the privacy of their conversations, especially since the new terms involved sharing data with WhatsApp’s parent company, Facebook. Facebook, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, has faced reputational issues due to rumors of cooperation with authorities.

Policy Update Postponed

Originally, the changes to WhatsApp’s terms of service were scheduled to take effect on February 8. However, due to the rapid decline in user numbers, the implementation was postponed to May 15.