Musk’s X Blocks Signal.me Links

Links to Signal.me, a URL shortener used by the private messaging software Signal that enables users to give out a link that is used to contact them directly through the service which are used to send direct messages to Signal users in a speedy and safe manner, cannot presently be posted by X users, on the social network and are being blocked by Elon Musk’s X (previously Twitter). When X users try to post Signal links on the platform, they receive a range of failure messages, some of which label the prohibited message as having malicious behaviour, spam, or hazardous information. The issue was first spotted by security researchers at Mysk with the blog Disruptionist was the first to notice the blocks, which affect profile pages, public postings, and direct messaging. 

The link may be “potentially harmful,” “possibly spam,” or even “considered malware,” according to error warnings.

Only the signal.me domain, which is used expressly to ask someone to send you an encrypted message, is restricted; other Signal URLs are not.

The site says that Signal is extensively utilized by journalists, including providing as a safe communications route for whistleblowers. It implies that Elon Musk, the owner of X, probably made the decision on purpose.

An error notice stating that “something went wrong, but don’t fret — let’s give it another shot” appeared when my colleague attempted to use it. Only Signal.me links seem to be affected, according to Matt Binder, who was the first to notice the problem. Neither links to the Signal.org site nor comparable services like Telegram seem to be restricted.

Journalists and workers are now using Signal’s encrypted messaging technology to safely share information and report potentially damaging activities particularly. They also utilize Signal to obtain sensitive material from sources, comforted by the fact that messages are retained on-device and encrypted from beginning to end. In recent weeks, the messaging program has gained significant attention as a means for government whistleblowers to inform the media about DOGE action as DOGE (the Department of Government Efficiency) targets government entities, such as the Department of Education and NASA.

As Musk’s DOGE seeks to cut federal expenditures and abolish whole organizations, including USAID, almost 10,000 federal employees have been laid off nationwide.

Users are prohibited from adding Signal.me links to their profile bios and are discouraged from clicking on links that were already published before the restriction, in addition to being prohibited from sharing Signal.me links in direct messages and public postings. When the latter is tried, an error message appears stating that the update failed because the new description was “considered malware.”

This would not be the first time that X has tried to stop the promotion of third-party services on the platform. In 2022, Elon Musk tried to address the “relentless advertising of competitors for free” by temporarily blocking links to Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, and other competing social media networks. Following the launch of its own “Notes” feature, which was modelled after Twitter, Substack connections were likewise throttled and limited in 2023.

However, since Signal isn’t X’s direct rival, these circumstances are different. If X responds to our inquiry about whether Signal links are being purposefully blocked, we’ll update this report. As a workaround, Signal user handles that are currently published on X can be copied and pasted into the Signal app.

TechCrunch has tried sending a link through direct message and post. A notice stating, “Something went wrong, but don’t fret – let’s give it another shot,” appears when attempting to share via a post.

Any communication that includes a Signal.me may be unable to connect, and a pop-up window stating, “This request appears to be automated,” displays. We are unable to finish this action at this time in order to safeguard our users from spam and other harmful activities. Please give it another go later.

X was contacted by TechCrunch team for comment with respect to the latest development but no response from them. But then it is clear that Musk claims to support free speech, he often targets organizations and people who have opposed his activities. Additionally, he has been charged with disabling X accounts belonging to those who have expressed disagreement with him.