WhatsApp also has end-to-end encryption and even uses Signal's protocol for transferring messages. This implies it's just as safe – but is it really?

What people tend to forget about messaging services is that privacy isn't just about the content of your message. It is also about your metadata: the information about you, your message and your contacts.

Even though the message itself is encrypted, WhatsApp collects a ton of information about you, such as:

  • Your phone model and mobile number.
  • Your profile picture, and yes: every time you change your profile picture.
  • Your contacts' phone numbers
  • Data about the operating system, battery level, signal strength, app version, browser info, mobile network, language, time zone and IP address.
  • Identifiers used by Meta that are associated with the same account or phone in their other services (Instagram, Messenger, Threads, etceteras)
  • Your activity, such as when you send messages and to whom, how often you open the app, and for how long you use the app.
  • Your geographical location (via cell towers, Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth).
  • The names of your own groups, and which groups you are a member of.
  • and lots more...

Relationship mapping and communication fingerprinting have long been tools for identifying and drawing conclusions about individuals based on patterns in their communication. Your metadata is super interesting, and valuable.

Signal does not store any metadata except for an encrypted "hash" of your mobile number, the date when you created your account, and the timestamp of when you last connected to the Signal service. Things like group names and the like are stored on your device, not at all with Signal. And the metadata of sent messages is encrypted in the same way as the message itself.

If you don't save any information, there's no information to misuse


This means that when authorities request information from Signal, there is no information to share. There is also no information for scammers to steal, and no information for commercial companies to exploit.

WhatsApp is part of Meta's (Facebook's) ecosystem of products and the metadata they collect is how they create value for themselves at your expense by mapping you, your relationships and your behavioral patterns.

Signal has no other purpose than to be a secure messaging service. The Swedish Armed Forces have every reason to recommend Signal.

However, none of the apps will adapt to the Swedish government's wishful thinking of having a backdoor to accessing messages in social media platforms. After all, they don't have access to your messages today. They would naturally rather leave the Swedish market, just as they would 'walk away' from the UK.

It's important to note that you don't need to "have something to hide" for people in power, or a commercial company, to harm you – intentionally or through carelessness.

The statement "I have nothing to hide" truly has nothing to do with personal privacy. It isn't even true, but that's another story. A story that will be the subject of an upcoming newsletter.

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This post is available in Swedish.