Signal
Summary
An encrypted communications application for Android and iOS that focuses on advancing secure communications.
Parent organisation: Signal Messenger, LLC
Type of organisation: Privately-owned company (or group)
Market share: One of the leading products (#3-7)
Pricing: Free
Skills needed to set-up: Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it)
Skills needed to use: Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it)
Requires audience sign-in to use: Yes, sign-in compulsory
Parent organisation: Signal Messenger, LLC
Type of organisation: Privately-owned company (or group)
Market share: One of the leading products (#3-7)
Pricing: Free
Skills needed to set-up: Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it)
Skills needed to use: Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it)
Requires audience sign-in to use: Yes, sign-in compulsory
Pros
Open Source alternatives available
Releases new features regularly
Transparent pricing model
Demands proprietary file formats
Allows data deletion
Cons
Lacks accessibility statement
Does not share diversity data
Full Product Data Collection
Data collected January-February 2020
| Product name | Signal |
| Product URL | https://signal.org/ |
| Parent organisation | Signal Messenger, LLC |
| Workflow category | Collaboration & editing |
| Date product founded | 2014 |
| Product description | An encrypted communications application for Android and iOS that focuses on advancing secure communications. |
| What type of company or organisation is the product owned by? | Privately-owned company (or group) |
| Is the company profit-making? | Not-for-profit model |
| How is this product funded? | Philanthropic foundation, Backed by a non-profit org or charity |
| What market share does the tool have? | One of the leading products (#3-7) |
| Is there an Open Source alternative in this product space? | Yes. Riot.im, Tox, Wire, Jitsi, Matrix.org |
| When did the company last release new features? | Jan-2020. Android edition now includes storage management to visualize files across allconversations, in order to assist reducing the amount of space used on a device. |
| Have they shared details of the product roadmap? | No |
| Is there talk of the product raising further investment? | Yes. The company continues to be open to donations from private individuals or institutions. |
| Is there talk of the product being acquired? | No |
| Have there been any newsworthy business issues or challenges in the last 12 months? | No |
| Is there a pricing model listed on the website? | Product is clearly listed as free |
| How clear & transparent is this pricing model? | N/A no pricing model listed |
| What is the range of prices offered? | N/A |
| What factors drive higher pricing? | N/A |
| What skills are needed to get this tool set up & usable? | Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it) |
| What skills are needed to USE this tool day-to-day? | Plug & play (any non-technical user can do it) |
| Does this tool use proprietary file formats for saving documents & outputs? | Demands proprietary file formats |
| Is the product reliant on 3rd-party APIs or interoperability to function? | No |
| Have there been any newsworthy technical issues in the last 3 years? | No |
| How clear is the Terms of Service for users (i.e. publishing customers)? | Technical, legalistic TOS |
| Does the product have a data collection & usage policy on its website? (Can be a GDPR statement)? | Yes, topline. |
| Is their data policy “GDPR everywhere”? | GDPR unclear on these details |
| Does the product require your audience to sign-in to use it? | Yes, sign-in compulsory |
| IF SIGN IN REQUIRED: Does audience sign-in use 3rd party platforms? | No 3rd party auth, just a user account |
| Does the public product website mention how to export or transfer your data to another service? | Only partial exports available |
| Does the public product website mention how to delete your data? | Yes: for both publisher and audience data |
| Have there been any newsworthy security breaches with this product in the last 3 years? | No |
| Does the company have an accessibility statement on its website? | No / cannot find |
| Does the company release information on the diversity of the workforce? | No |