The use of the encrypted communications service Signal has exploded in the Netherlands since Donald Trump became president of the United States again in January. The Netherlands is now in the top five countries with the most Signal users, among countries with much larger populations like Ukraine, Germany, and the United States, the Volkskrant reported.
The number of new monthly registrations at Signal from the Netherlands is 25 times higher than at the beginning of January. The number of Dutch Signal users has risen to over 2 million.
Signal is the privacy-friendly version of Meta’s WhatsApp. It collects virtually no data on its users. That’s a big plus for many users.
“What we are seeing is that more and more people are realizing that technology isn’t a theoretical matter, but has a real impact on their lives,” Signal CEO Meredith Whittaker said in an interview with the Volkskrant. “The relationship between cause and effect – that bad things happen when malicious people with power have access to your intimate data – is becoming increasingly clear to everyone.”
Signal is also the opposite of Big Tech from Silicon Valley. It is a foundation that accepts no investments and has no advertising. It relies on donations.
That contrast is also good for the company after the heads of major American tech companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google, conspicuously courted the Trump administration. The White House’s obvious awareness of the geopolitical power and reach of the American tech sector has caused major concerns elsewhere in the world, making alternatives seem much more attractive.