The advert-free app allows people to share pictures, videos, documents and their location. They can add words and special effects to their pictures. Signal enables people to write ‘disappearing messages’ (which cannot be seen after a set period of time) or a ‘story’ (several photos or videos that appear in a slideshow format and disappear after 24 hours). Signal uses end-to-end encryption so only the people who send and receive a message can read it, no one in between. A user send and receive money using the in-app payments feature.
There are no parental controls on Signal. Safety settings include the ability to block a user or group and turn off ‘read receipts’, which prevent others knowing if their message or story has been viewed or when they are typing a message. Users can also add security (such as a fingerprint) for payments or disable payments altogether.
