Fastest-growing instant messaging application, Signal, has been banned by the Iranian government after scores of citizens flocked the app in the wake of data privacy concerns with Facebook-owned WhatsApp.

This week, Signal users based in Iran have reported technical glitches in connecting to the open-source app, which has been opted for by majority as a more secure way of end-to-end encrypted communication since WhatsApp gazetted their controversial policy on data collection practices. 

Signal announced on Twitter that Iran has dropped all traffic vowing that the company would bounce back.

“Unable to stop registration, the IR censors are now dropping all Signal traffic,” the tweet read. “Iranian people deserve privacy. We haven’t given up”.

On January 14, Signal was removed from Café Bazaar, Iran’s version of Google Play, and Myket, another popular local app store.

“We thank you for understanding our limitations,” that is a message greeting Iranians who wish to download Signal.

It is not the first time authorities in Iran are blocking Signal. Between 2016 and 2017, the app was blocked but the filter flew under the radar as Signal has little vibrance and prominence in Iran at the time. It was eventually unblocked without apparent reasons.

According to Al Jazeera, Signal was used by a vast number of protestors during anti-government demonstrations in Iran in 2017 and early 2018 in a bid to maintain secure connections.

WhatsApp’s data practices have come under scrutiny and its sister app Instagram has remained the major and legally functional social media platforms in Iran.

Recently, WhatsApp accused Signal of “stealing its major features”. Signal was co-founded by Brian Acton, a software engineer, who also co-founded WhatsApp and deserted it in 2017 when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg acquired the app.

The pair disagreed on data privacy complexities. While Brian made data protection a traditional norm at WhatsApp, Zuckerberg wanted to implement his own traditional norm which he came with from Facebook and Instagram; commercialising user’s data.

On 29 January, WhatsApp rolled out a new controversial security feature for the web version, which uses biometric face and fingerprint scan when linking devices.

The feature has already attracted criticisms from the tech sphere and could deter more users to drop the app which is losing popularity at a rate never seen.