You've probably heard the rumors or seen that one viral post from a cousin. People get really worked up about who’s reading their texts. Usually, the question pops up right after WhatsApp announces another confusing privacy update. Everyone starts scrambling for the exit, and someone inevitably asks: is Signal owned by Facebook?
The short answer is a flat no. Facebook (or Meta, if we’re being corporate) does not own Signal. Not even a little bit.
Honestly, it’s kinda the opposite. Signal exists specifically because the people who run it wanted to get away from the way Facebook does business. It’s a whole thing involving a billionaire who walked away from nearly a billion dollars just to prove a point.
Why Everyone Thinks Meta Owns Everything
It’s easy to see why people get confused. Meta owns WhatsApp. They own Instagram. They own Messenger and Threads. Basically, if you’re tapping an icon to talk to a friend, there’s a 75% chance Mark Zuckerberg’s company is involved.
But Signal is different. It’s owned by the Signal Technology Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
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Think about that for a second. Most tech companies are designed to make money. They have shareholders who want profits, which usually means they need to show you ads or sell your data. Signal doesn't have shareholders. It doesn't have an "exit strategy." It can't be bought out by a tech giant easily because its legal structure as a nonprofit makes that a massive headache.
The Brian Acton Connection (Where the Rumor Started)
If you’re looking for the "smoking gun" that ties Signal to Facebook, you’ll find the name Brian Acton.
Acton actually co-founded WhatsApp. He sold it to Facebook back in 2014 for about $19 billion. He worked inside Facebook for a while, but things got ugly. He reportedly hated the way Facebook wanted to monetize WhatsApp by targeting ads and weakening encryption.
He didn't just quit. He left $850 million in unvested stock on the table. That’s "never work again" money for a thousand people, and he just walked away from it because he didn't like the direction the company was taking.
Later, he put $50 million of his own money into starting the Signal Foundation with Moxie Marlinspike. So, while a former Facebook executive is a huge part of Signal, he’s there because he basically declared war on the Facebook business model.
How Signal Actually Makes Money
If they aren't selling your data and they aren't owned by a tech titan, how do they keep the lights on?
- Donations: Most of their cash comes from people like you.
- Grants: They get funding from organizations that care about privacy.
- The Big Loan: That $50 million from Brian Acton was technically a loan (at 0% interest), but it’s not due for decades.
It’s a scrappy way to run a global app. They don't have the massive 10,000-person departments that Meta has. But that’s sort of the point. They don't need a huge marketing budget because their "marketing" is just being the app that doesn't spy on you.
What about the Signal Protocol?
This is another spot where the "is Signal owned by Facebook" rumor gets some legs. WhatsApp actually uses the Signal Protocol for its end-to-end encryption.
Basically, Signal’s tech is so good that even Facebook decided to use it. But using someone's code doesn't mean you own the company. It’s like using a specific brand of tires on a car; it doesn't mean the tire company owns the car manufacturer.
The "Sealed Sender" Difference
Even if WhatsApp and Signal use similar encryption, the way they handle your information is light-years apart.
WhatsApp collects metadata. They know who you talked to, when you talked to them, and how often. They might not know what you said, but they know you’ve been calling a divorce lawyer at 2:00 AM.
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Signal uses something called Sealed Sender. Basically, their servers don't even know who is sending a message to whom. They try to keep as little data as possible. If the government comes knocking with a subpoena, Signal usually has nothing to give them except the date you created the account.
Is Signal Truly "Safe"?
Nothing is 100% unhackable. If someone physically steals your phone, they can read your texts. If you have malware on your device, all the encryption in the world won't save you.
But as far as company ownership goes, you’re safe from the Facebook ecosystem here. Signal’s current President, Meredith Whittaker, is a former Google researcher who famously led a walkout over the company's ethics. She’s not exactly the "sell out to Big Tech" type.
What You Should Do Now
If you’re still on the fence about switching or staying, here are some practical things to check:
- Check your contacts: The biggest downside to Signal isn't the ownership; it's that your grandma might not be on it yet. Open the app and see who from your contact list is already there.
- Enable Registration Lock: This stops someone from re-registering your number on another device without a PIN.
- Set up Disappearing Messages: If you're worried about privacy, don't leave a paper trail. You can set messages to vanish after a few hours or days.
- Ignore the viral "ownership" posts: Most of those "Facebook is buying Signal" posts are just chain-letter style hoaxes. Check the official Signal blog if you’re ever worried.
Moving your group chats over can be a pain, but if you want an app that isn't beholden to a board of directors trying to squeeze every cent out of your personal life, it's worth the five minutes it takes to download. Signal isn't part of the Meta empire, and based on how they've set things up, it likely never will be.
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Next Steps:
- Download Signal from the official App Store or Google Play Store to ensure you have the legitimate version.
- Set up a Signal PIN immediately to secure your account against SIM-swapping attacks.
- Review the Privacy settings in the app to enable "Always Relay Calls" if you want to hide your IP address from people you call.