Hi, I came across this 2-star review of Signal (dated 4/24/26) and wanted the community’s take on its substance, not its tone. The reviewer writes:
Play Store review, “A Google user,” 4/24/26: Ignoring known severe security issues:
(1) App lock must be identical to device lock, adding no additional security. Like locking a vault with the same key as the front door.
(2) Notifications contain message content by default. These are stored on device outside of application, non-encrypted. Accessible even if Signal is uninstalled. Ignored.
(3) Communication log can be set to auto delete after 1 day but call logs are retained, meaning forensics can see if you talked and when. Bad practice.
My questions:
- Does any part of this rise to the level of hate speech, or is it simply a harsh technical critique?
- Which claims are technically sound under Signal’s stated threat model, and which are overstated or inaccurate?
- Are there official Signal docs or independent audits that address these specific points?
I’m not endorsing the review—just trying to separate signal from noise. Thanks in advance for the technical perspective. I’m also considering switching to Signal, but wanted to know more before starting.