Last week, the news that WhatsApp would change its privacy policy and force users to share personal information with its parent company, Facebook, hit the Internet. As you can imagine, the news hit like a huge explosion in an elevator.

Since then, millions of users have left WhatsApp for other apps that are the best encrypted messaging apps available.

The crux of the matter is that when WhatsApp was sold to Facebook in 2014, it was pledged that WhatsApp's famous user privacy policy would remain. However, that changed in 2016 when WhatsApp began sharing user data with Facebook.

As of February 8, the data sharing with Facebook changed and users would have no say in the matter; WhatsApp issued a statement to the contrary, claiming that nothing would change, but people are still angry. [WhatsApp has since downplayed how much data was actually shared with Facebook, promising that contacts, location, logs, and message content would remain private.

According to the FAQ, the changes are intended for messaging with companies on WhatsApp and are intended to increase transparency in data collection and use.

Various Facebook executives are trying to set the record straight on Twitter, but it seems people have already made up their minds.

This is not surprising, given Facebook's abysmal track record on user privacy and Apple's mandate for privacy labels in its App Store, which has led to Facebook-owned apps displaying the dreaded privacy label. Not surprising.

As a result, many people are leaving the app. According to analysis firm Sensor Tower (via BBC News), encrypted messaging app Signal has since increased from 246,000 downloads the week before WhatsApp's launch to 8.8 million.

Signal was also endorsed by Elon Musk on Twitter last week, and has subsequently shot to the top of the app store charts on both Android and iOS devices.

Similarly, Telegram, which offers encrypted messaging and complete user privacy, gained another 25 million users in the 72 hours before January 12. It is in second place in the app store behind Signal.

If you are not convinced that WhatsApp is going to clarify the situation and want to switch to something that supposedly does not collect your data, here are some of the best options available.

Signal is one of the most obvious choices for those who value privacy and security. This messaging service has gained support from the likes of Elon Musk and Edward Snowden.

Signal is not only completely free, but also supports text messaging, voice, video, and group calls. Messages can be set to self-destruct, and if you prefer to send messages from your desktop machine instead, you can use the Chrome browser plugin.

Signal's open source end-to-end encryption protocol is also used by WhatsApp.

Signal apps are regularly audited for software security to ensure both security and a user-friendly interface that even a technophobic uncle can handle.

Signal is headed by cryptography expert and self-proclaimed anarchist Moxie Marlinspike and WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, who famously left Facebook in 2017 after a public battle over WhatsApp's future, and is non It is owned and operated by a non-profit foundation headed by WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton, who famously left Facebook after a public dispute over the future of WhatsApp in 2017.

Download Signal: Android, iOS

If you want to use something similar to WhatsApp but linked to a phone number, Telegram is another option. Nevertheless, experts point out that Telegram's service is not that secure and end-to-end encryption is not set by default. Its worth remembering that.

Nevertheless, Telegram has options to share files, self-delete messages, and chat with groups of up to 200,000 people. It can also synchronize messages across all devices and costs absolutely nothing to use.

Download Telegram: Android, iOS

If you are an iPhone or Mac user, sometimes the simplest option is the best.

Not only can you send messages to all phone numbers, whether they use iMessage or not, but Apple has a track record of not giving in to government demands to add backdoors to encryption. So your messages remain secure (unless someone can read your iCloud backup).

iMessage is full-featured like other popular messaging apps, supporting images, GIFs, video, and group calls. In some countries, iMessage users can also send each other money using Apple Pay.

Video and voice calls are not included in iMessage and must be made with the FaceTime app instead. It is unclear why iMessage and FaceTime were not integrated into one communication app, but that is the reality. At least it is already installed on every iPhone and most Macs.

Google Messages is Google's answer to iMessage and is available to all Android users via Google Play, often right out of the box.

Designed to replace existing SMS apps and integrated with all Google services, Google Messages is essentially iMessage, but for Android (and Windows, not Mac or iOS).

End-to-end encryption is automatic, and images and files can be sent just like WhatsApp and other services.

Messages does not have video and voice calling. That's right: just as iMessage and FaceTime are still separated for some reason, so are Messages and Duo.

The good news is that Duo is likely already installed on your Android phone.

Download Google Messages: Android

Download Google Duo: Threema, Wickr Me, Viber, Silent Phone for $10/month, or whatever else you . you're sure to find one that works for you.