Encrypted Messaging App Signal Stops Working in China

signal iconEncrypted messaging app Signal appears to have been banned in China, reports TechCrunch. While the app remains available in the App Store, the service is no longer operational in mainland China, according to the censorship tracking website Greatfire.org.

Western-run social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been unavailable in the country for some time, but Signal has largely flown under the radar of China's authorities until now. Signal has yet to comment on the issue.

It's unclear what has caused the country's government to act and whether the ban is permanent, however Signal and rival service Telegram have both recently experienced a significant uptick in users following WhatsApp's bungled PR campaign explaining its upcoming privacy policy update.

Like Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp are still listed on the China ‌App Store‌, although access to the services requires the use of VPNs – another category of apps that local authorities have cracked down on in recent years.

VPNs circumvent China's "Great Firewall" by routing and encrypting internet traffic to servers outside of the country, making them popular with privacy-conscious users who have limited access to online content because of government restrictions.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: China, Signal

Top Rated Comments

vicviper789 Avatar
36 months ago
Don’t worry, Tim Cook will personally take Signal off just for them!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
piattj Avatar
36 months ago
Blimey! Who'd have thought? SO out of character
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TehFalcon Avatar
36 months ago

The end of dictatorships would be good, but has to be home grown movements. Regards to communism, when that does come it'll be lovely. China is not communist; communism doesn't support billionaires, a middle class that is larger than the population of the USA, private business, and dictatorships.

If China where communist then their entire population would be equally wealthy with no prospect for areas of extreme poverty and extreme wealth.

China is more akin to the USA, except in the USA they can vote in a different dictator every four years from a choice of two.
China is 100% communist and the only billionaires are the ones supported by the government, typical. Literally the opposite of the USA.

The US also doesn't have a "dictator", comparing any US President to a dictator shows a huge ignorance on history and the current Chinese government.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve121178 Avatar
36 months ago

Word of mouth has always been the greatest and most reliable promoter of good businesses and we don’t get spyware crap from word of mouth.
Yes, because humans are incapable of being dishonest & telling lies. Oh wait...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NMBob Avatar
36 months ago
Gee, sounds almost like the US. Don’t like something? Shut it down.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
souko Avatar
36 months ago
This is crazy. Communist dictatorship should end soon.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...