Signal App Prized by Activists Central to Houthi Chat Uproar
- App created for to shield communications from governments
- Trump administration downplays significance of Signal chat
Even with its enhanced security, Signal remains off-limits for US officials to exchange sensitive or classified information.
Photographer: Leon Neal/Getty ImagesThe messaging app Signal that Trump administration officials used to discuss an attack on Yemen’s Houthi rebels was created by a one-time anarchist to help activists, journalists and others communicate beyond the prying eyes of government intelligence agencies — not to plan government military operations.
Launched by American cryptographer Moxie Marlinspike in 2014, Signal relies on strong end-to-end encryption to ensure users’ privacy and does not save information about the messages it handles. Those features have boosted its popularity among those seeking to evade government or corporate surveillance and cemented Signal’s reputation as the most secure chat app on the market.