Signal now offers its own ephemeral Snapchat-like function for sharing photographs with pals. The functionality was unveiled a month after the messaging app indicated that it was jumping on the Stories bandwagon and was already beta testing the capabilities. Signal’s latest feature, also known as “Stories,” allows you to publish photographs that will be available on the app for 24 hours until you delete them before the timer expires. Stories, like everything else on Signal, are end-to-end encrypted and will only be viewable to the individuals you’ve chosen to share them with.
These individuals might include everyone in your contacts who use the app, as well as anybody with whom you’ve had a one-on-one discussion or whose message request you’ve accepted, even if you’ve never added them. You may also build unique stories that are exclusively viewable to certain visitors, such as coworkers or those who share your interests. You may also share your experiences with existing groups. Just keep in mind that everyone in that group, even people you’ve never engaged with in individual conversations, will be able to view anything you discuss.
Given that Facebook and Instagram already offer comparable capabilities, and Snapchat still exists, it remains to be seen if Signal’s approach will entice users to use the app more often. Signal’s Stories are now accessible on its Android and iOS apps, with desktop support “coming soon.” If you don’t want to view your contacts’ Stories or don’t want to submit your own, you can always opt out by heading to Settings and turning off “Turn off stories.”
