What is Signal?

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The Signal app is a free and instant communication tool. Users can text and send pictures, videos, voice messages, and files. Video and voice calls can also be made to anywhere in the world for free. It boasts about keeping conversations secure through end-to-end encryption and that privacy isn’t an optional mode.

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They also advertise that there are no ads, affiliate marketers, or tracking. Signal is an independent nonprofit and is supported by grants and donations.

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How Does Signal Work?

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It’s a messaging app and no searchable, permanent content, other than what is sent user-to-user, which can be voice messages, photos, videos, GIFs and files. You can also make clear phone calls to individuals you’re connected to.

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BUT because messages can be set to disappear just like Snapchat (read more below), nudes can easily be sent, just like they do in Snapchat. That’s always a risk when there is disappearing content.

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What Do Parents Need to Know About Signal?

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Signal Has Disappearing Content

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Yes. Disappearing messages with times ranging from 5 seconds to 1 week can be enabled. Any user can change this setting. Also any user can delete any message or image. Any pictures or video that is taken through the app does not get saved to the phone. It will only remain in that message until it is deleted or disappears if disappearing messages was enabled. This type of privacy and control over user-generated content is very important to the app’s creators.

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Do Signal’s features facilitate predatory activity?

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Not the app by itself. But we anticipate that Signal will become (if not already) a destination for predators. Apps like Instagram are searchable for young people. Predators then invite young people into more private apps like Signal and Snapchat. This is what happens between Instagram and Snapchat right now. Instagram and TikTok are “trailheads” but apps like Snapchat and Signal are the encrypted and private destinations.

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Does Signal share your location?

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No, not by default. But there is an option to send another user your location.

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Signal has End-to-End Encryption

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Signal has end-to-end encryption within messaging, which is it’s big selling point. You can message directly with individuals or in a group chat. The encryption ensures the messagses can't be seen again or found by others. That's a big risk for kids, since this level of secure messaging fosters predators and others who can't be tied back to their messages.

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Does Signal have ads and in-app purchases?

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No and Signal is proud of this. They’ve stripped the app down to basics. No ads. No tracking.

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Does Signal make it easy to report bad content?

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Yes. Right in the settings. Very easy.

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Does Signal verify users when creating accounts?

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A phone number is required to sign up for a Signal account. A verification text message is required to complete set-up. The same phone number cannot be used to create multiple Signal accounts. This is good.

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Do Signal’s features facilitate bullying?

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Possibly. But only if they have your phone number and you have invited them to connect with you. Like any social networking app, it’s all who you decide to connect with. Signal added features that help a user decide if they will accept a message from another user who is not in their contacts. Users can preview a message, video, or voice call before accepting, blocking, or deleting.

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How does Signal guard privacy?

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Signal uses end-to-end encryption and boasts of its privacy measures. Here is their privacy policy.

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How to Make Signal Safer:

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Regardless of the app, three actions mitigate the risks we’ve shared. We teach these actions in our parent presentations:

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1. Require approval for all app downloads.
2. Follow the 7-Day Rule
3. Enable in-app controls and settings

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We explain each of them briefly below. If you’ve already set up approvals for downloads and have used the app, please skip to the In-App Controls & Settings.

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Require Approval for App Downloads

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You can control app stores by requiring permission for apps to be downloaded. This is ensures your child doesn’t have access to an app without your knowledge. Here are the steps (for Apple and Android users):

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For Apple Devices:

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To require permission to download an app, you’ll need to set up Screen Time and Family Sharing (Apple’s Parental Controls). We explain this process step-by-step in our Complete iOS Guide (click here).  

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Once Screen Time and Family Sharing are established, here’s how to require permission to download apps on an Apple device:

1. Go to your Settings app.
2. Select your Family.
3. Select the person you want to apply this setting to.
4. Scroll down to “Ask to Buy” and enable.

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For Android Devices:

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You’ll have to use Family Link (Android’s parental controls) to ensure you retain control over what apps are downloaded. We explain this process step-by-step in our Android Guide (click here).

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Once Family Link is established, here’s how to require permission to download apps on an Android device:

1. Go to the Family Link App
2. Select the person you want to apply this setting to.
3. Select “Google Play Store”
4. Select “Purchases & download approval” and set it to “All Content.”

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Follow the 7-Day Rule

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This is our tried-and-true method of determining whether a specific app is safe for your specific child.

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Before you let your child use it, download the app and use it for 7 days.

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Create an account with your child’s age and gender and use it for 7 days. Play through a few levels, review the ads, see if anyone can chat with you, and poke around like a curious child.

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After a week, ask yourself, “Do I want my child to experience what I did?”  Even if you decide to allow them to download the app, now you have a basis for curious conversations about the app when you check in.

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Enable In-App Controls & Settings

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There are no parental controls or meaningful safety settings in Signal. Please consider our suggestions above!

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Bottom Line: Is Signal Safe for Kids?

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Elementary and middle school ages should avoid Signal. With the parental involvement, it can be okay for high school.

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The biggest risk is the end-to-end encryption. It’s great for privacy, but it means that law enforcement has very little insight into what happens inside of the app.

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Disappearing messages are always concerning.

What if I have more questions? How can I stay up to date?

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Two actions you can take!

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1. Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. About every 3 weeks, we’ll share what’s new, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.
2. Ask your questions in our private parent community called The Table! It’s not another Facebook group. No ads, no algorithms, no asterisks. Just honest, critical conversations and deep learning! For parents who want to “go slow” together. Become a member today!

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