Pavel Durov said push notifications can pose a privacy risk even after users delete messages and apps.
summary
- Pavel Durov said push notifications may preserve data even after users delete chats and apps.
- The FBI reportedly recovered deleted Signal messages from iPhone notification logs in a criminal investigation, reports said.
- Interest in decentralized messaging applications has surged as internet bans, disruptions, and restrictions have disrupted access to communications.
His comments followed reports that investigators recovered deleted Signal messages from iPhone notification logs, renewing controversy over metadata, device storage and private messaging tools.
Push notifications can leave message data on a device outside of the encrypted chat itself, Durov said. He said the risk remains even when users turn off preview text, because people they contact may still use the default settings.
“Turning off notification previews won’t make you safe if you use these apps, because you never know if the people you’re messaging have done the same thing,” he added. books.
Linking this point to privacy settings that depend on the choices made by both parties to the conversation.
Durov pointed out A a report First published by 404 Media. The FBI accessed deleted Signal messages from notification logs stored on an Apple iPhone used in a criminal case, the report said.
The case drew attention to how investigators access data generated around messages, even when the message content remains protected by end-to-end encryption.
Furthermore, the reports have renewed focus on metadata, storage of notifications, and other logs created by messaging apps and operating systems. Encrypted content may still be protected, but surrounding device data can still reveal connection details.
This debate has also led to increased interest in messaging tools that are trying to reduce it Centrality Data collection. Decentralized platform developers say local storage, routing methods and network design affect how much information remains after users send or delete messages.
Decentralized applications are gaining users during the ban
Interest in decentralized messaging and social platforms has surged since 2025 during power outages, disruptions, and internet restrictions. The explosive topic data mentioned in the report showed interest in online searches decentralization Social media platforms rose by 145% over five years.
The report also mentioned Bitchat, a Bluetooth-enabled network messaging app that works without the Internet. She said that more than 48,000 users in Nepal downloaded the app during the social media ban in September 2025, while Durov He said The ban of Telegram in Iran has pushed users towards VPNs instead of state-backed services.
