Keep your private messages private. If you hadn’t heard of Signal before this week, chances are you’re well aware of it now. The messaging app was thrust into the news on Monday when The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, was mistakenly added to a group chat involving top military officials planning an airstrike. Even though it entered the discourse for extremely unusual reasons, Signal has been, and remains, a well-regarded messaging platform for secure communication. It’s not foolproof — emphasis on fool, in this case — but it’s worth understanding what it is and how it works, even if you’re not a person who deals with highly confidential information. What is Signal? Signal is a messaging app. You download it to your iOS or Android device, link your phone number, and you’re ready to go — just like other services like WhatsApp or Telegram. The thing that makes Signal different is its emphasis on privacy. Communication on the platform is end-to-end encrypted by default, and the app offers additional protections to keep your private discussions private. Why is end-to-end encryption important? Aside from, say, walking over to someone and whispering in their ear, end-to-end encryption … Read the full story at The Verge. ...read more read less