The free messaging app Signal has made headlines after the White House confirmed it was used for a secret group chat between senior US officials. The editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg,

Another sticky spot is that government regulations require a record of communication. Signal—and other secure messaging apps—have the ability to automatically delete messages after a certain time has passed; if that setting is used, any lost conversations related to government proceedings would be in violation of the law.

A messaging app called Signal based in San Francisco was used by the Trump administration to discuss war plans.