M

a

x

E

d

d

y

T

he encrypted messaging app Signal

recently made an enormous upgrade to its

apps that could change everything about

encrypted services. It added stickers. Now, it

would be easy to dismiss this innovation as

pointless—even frivolous. But it’s exactly because

these stickers are frivolous that this is so

important.

SIGNAL’S STICKERS

It was surprisingly easy to ignore this earth-

shattering event. That’s partly because of the

ZHLUGZD\LQZKLFK\RX¶UHVXSSRVHGWR¿QGWKH

sticker packs. Instead of a centralized store, like

the one Apple uses in its Messages app, Signal has

a more anarchic system: Though the company

hosts the stickers, they’re uploaded by

individuals, and there’s no single place to seek

them out.

Instead, the stickers spread virally. When

someone sends you a sticker, you can tap and see

the rest of the pack. If you like it, you can

download the whole thing and add it to your

VWLFNHUSDOHWWH:KLOHVRPHXQṘFLDO6LJQDO

sticker search engines have popped up, the best

ZD\WR¿QGRQHVHHPVWREHVHDUFKLQJWKHKDVKWDJ

Stickers Are the Next

Big Breakthrough in

Secure Messaging

COMMENTARY

Sascha Segan is the

lead mobile analyst

for PC Magazine. His

commentary has

also appeared on Fox

News, CNBC, CNN, and

various radio stations

and newspapers

around the world.

PC Magazine Senior

Software Analyst Max

Eddy has also written

for publications such

as International Digital

Times, International

Science Times, and

The Mary Sue.