Privacy-oriented Message app signal has flown high in the Dutch app stores last month, often at the top as the most downloaded free app on iOS and Android in all categories, per data from multiple app tracking platforms Such as Sensor Tower.
The app has experienced popularity in popularity over the years, often in response to Policy changes at rivals such as WhatsApp or Geopolitical events. This is because Signaal has made a name for itself if a more privacy-friendly option is managed by a non-profit foundation (albeit in the US) instead of a private company aimed at generating data. Moreover, signal minimal metadata follows.
In 2025, with a new American president who is authorized by the warm embrace of Big Tech, it is not surprising that digital privacy tools have a moment – especially in Europe, which has attracted the anger of President Trump.
But what is particularly striking this time is the fame of Signal in a very specific location Netherlands.
In one interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf last week, Signal President Meredith Whittaker noted that the number of “new registrations” in the Netherlands this year was a factor of 25 higher, although it is not clear what the exact comparative period for this data is.
When asked why the Netherlands has seen such growth, Whittaker pointed to a combination of factors: “growing awareness of privacy, distrust of great technology and the political reality in which people realize how vulnerable digital communication can be,” said Whittaker.
Information provided to Techcrunch of App Intelligence Firm App figures The rise in the Carts Signal in the Netherlands. According to the data, Signal was arranged on January 1, 365th under non-game iPhone apps in the Netherlands and did not appear in the best overall apps list. Then, starting around January 5, it started to climb the ranking and reached the top position by 2 February.
Signal fell in and out of the leadership in the intervening weeks and spends around half of February at the top – including every day since 22 February. Go deeper into the data, app figures estimates, combined downloads in Apple and Google’s app stores in total around 22,000 in December 2024.
Although part of this growth can be attributed to signal with a lower saturation than in other markets, the continuing position of the app at the top compared to adjacent markets of similar size is remarkable.
“No other markets come near the Netherlands in terms of growth between December and February,” App figures told Techcrunch.
For comparison, since December Belgium has had downloads with more than 250%, Sweden with 153%and Denmark grow by 95%.
So why could signal that you are experiencing what a redditor a ‘called’Mass adoption moment‘In the Netherlands?
Erase
Zenger is delightedSenior Policy Advisor at Dutch Digital Rights Foundation Pieces of freedomsaid that although it is difficult to determine a specific reason, it is not surprised.
Have seen recent developments in the US The large platform providers Imagine the new Trump government, and this has started a considerable public and media area. The dependence on Europe of technology of huge private American companies has become a central point in that debate.
“Like many others, the Dutch are highly dependent on the infrastructure of extremely dominant technology companies, usually from the US,” Zenger told Techcrunch. “What this means, and the risks arising from this have been shown nicely in recent weeks. As a result, the public debate in the Netherlands has been relatively sharp. Where in the past this problem was only discussed at the level of ‘Which instant messenger should I use‘I feel that we now also have the debate about higher levels:’We have to get rid of this dependence. ” ‘
In that context, the public can combine dominance with the abuse of data protection. Because companies such as Meta are regularly examined and fined about data privacy practices, Signal can seem to be the lesser evil: it is based in the US, but is managed by a non-profit that ensures coding of both message content and the metadata around it.
Vincent BöhreDirector at the Dutch Privacy Organization Privacy firstAlso pointed to increased reporting in the media and a broader shift in public opinion.
“Since Trump was re -elected in the US a few months ago, there has been a lot of ‘bashen’ from Trump and [Elon] Musk in Dutch – and European – regular media, including bashing of American major technology companies, which now seem to support Trump, “Böhre told Techcrunch. “Articles that criticize X [formerly Twitter] And Meta appears everywhere in Dutch media, which leads to a shift in Dutch public opinion: even people who never really knew or have caused privacy and security in social media, are now suddenly interested in ‘privacy-friendly’ alternatives, in particular. “
Intentions
Although the Netherlands is only one market of 18 million people in a European population of more than 700 million, the increase in adoption can indicate a broader trend on the continent, especially because governments try to disclose privacy barriers.
Apple, for example, recently pulled the end-to-end coding of iCloud into the UK to prevent the government’s efforts to install a back door.
Talk about Rightscon 25 In Taiwan this week, Whittaker confirmed the non -repellent attitude of Signal in relation to privacy.
“The position of the signal on this is very clear- we will” not go through or otherwise disturb the robust privacy and security guarantees on which people depend on, “do not go through or otherwise,” ” Said Whittaker. “Whether that disruption or back door is called client-side scanning, or stripping the coding protection of some functions comparable to what Apple was pushed into the UK”
Separately, in a interview with Swedish public broadcaster SVT, Whittaker said that Signal would not meet a proposed Swedish law that Message app makers of messages need to save messages.
“In practice, this means asking us to break the coding that is the basis of our entire company,” said Whittaker. “Asking us to store data, our entire architecture would undermine and we would never do that. We prefer to leave the Swedish market completely. ‘
Techcrunch put out his hand to signal for comment, but had not heard anything at the time of publishing.