Messaging app Signal down; company says experiencing technical difficulties

End-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal, developed under the Signal Foundation in 2014, said on Friday (January 15) that it was experiencing technical difficulties and was working to restore its service.

Signal has seen a rise in downloads following a controversial change in rival messaging app WhatsApp's privacy terms, which required WhatsApp users to share their data with both Facebook Inc and Instagram.

The reason behind the services going down, reports suggest is the massive influx of users. However CNBC-TV18 could not confirm the reports.

Brian Acton, founder of WhatsApp, who invested $50 million in Signal and turned it into a foundation, recently told CNBC-TV18 that data protection and privacy were at the core of Signal’s philosophy.

"When you have these relationships with companies where they may have access to your data, they can surprise you in ways that you really don't expect," he said and added, “Sometimes you are happy and you are delighted and sometimes it just feels downright creepy. Personally, I don't think that that's how I would like to operate my business. I would like to operate with more straightforward candour and transparency.”