How Signal’s Meredith Whittaker Remembers SignalGate: ‘No Fucking Way’

Signal’s Meredith Whittaker, co-founder of the AI Now Institute at New York University, recalls the infamous SignalGate scandal with a sense of disbelief and frustration. “When I first heard about SignalGate, my initial reaction was, ‘No fucking way,’” Whittaker said in a recent interview.

SignalGate, which erupted in 2018, exposed a vulnerability in the popular secure messaging app Signal that allowed attackers to potentially intercept and manipulate users’ communications. The scandal shook the tech industry and raised serious questions about the security and privacy of messaging apps.

Whittaker, who is a prominent advocate for tech accountability and ethics, was among the first to raise concerns about Signal’s handling of the situation. “It was clear that there were serious issues with how Signal had responded to the security breach,” she said.

Despite the controversy, Whittaker remains a loyal user of Signal and continues to support the app’s mission of providing secure and private communication for users around the world. “Signal has made significant improvements since SignalGate, but we must remain vigilant and hold tech companies accountable for the security of their products,” she added.

Looking back on SignalGate, Whittaker hopes that the incident serves as a wake-up call for the tech industry and prompts companies to prioritize security and transparency in their products. “We can’t afford to ignore these issues anymore. The stakes are too high,” she said.

As Signal continues to evolve and improve its security measures, Whittaker remains optimistic about the future of encrypted messaging apps. “We have made progress, but there is still much work to be done. We must continue to push for greater accountability and transparency in tech,” she emphasized.

In conclusion, Signal’s Meredith Whittaker reflects on SignalGate with a mix of disappointment and hope. “It was a wake-up call for all of us. We can’t take the security of our digital communications for granted,” she said.