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== History ==
== History ==
On February 21, 2018, [[Moxie Marlinspike]] and [[WhatsApp]] co-founder [[Brian Acton]] announced the formation of the Signal Foundation, a [[501(c) organization|501(c)(3) nonprofit organization]].<ref name="blog-announcement">{{cite web|last1=Marlinspike|first1=Moxie|last2=Acton|first2=Brian|title=Signal Foundation|url=https://signal.org/blog/signal-foundation/|website=Signal.org|accessdate=21 February 2018|date=21 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="Greenberg-2018-02-21"/> The foundation was started with an initial $50 million in funding from [[Brian Acton|Acton]], who had left WhatsApp's parent company Facebook in September 2017.<ref name="Greenberg-2018-02-21">{{cite web|last1=Greenberg|first1=Andy|title=WhatsApp Co-Founder Puts $50M Into Signal To Supercharge Encrypted Messaging|url=https://www.wired.com/story/signal-foundation-whatsapp-brian-acton/|website=Wired|publisher=Condé Nast|accessdate=21 February 2018|date=21 February 2018}}</ref> The [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]] had previously served as the Signal project's fiscal sponsor and continued to accept donations on behalf of the project while the foundation's non-profit status was pending.<ref name="blog-announcement" />
On February 21, 2018, [[Moxie Marlinspike]] and [[WhatsApp]] co-founder [[Brian Acton]] announced the formation of the Signal Foundation, a [[501(c) organization|501(c)(3) nonprofit organization]].<ref name="blog-announcement">{{cite web|last1=Marlinspike|first1=Moxie|last2=Acton|first2=Brian|title=Signal Foundation|url=https://signal.org/blog/signal-foundation/|website=Signal.org|accessdate=21 February 2018|date=21 February 2018}}</ref><ref name="Greenberg-2018-02-21"/> The foundation was started with an initial $50 million in funding from [[Brian Acton|Acton]], who had left WhatsApp's parent company Facebook in September 2017.<ref name="Greenberg-2018-02-21">{{cite web|last1=Greenberg|first1=Andy|title=WhatsApp Co-Founder Puts $50M Into Signal To Supercharg Encrypted Messaging|url=https://www.wired.com/story/signal-foundation-whatsapp-brian-acton/|website=Wired|publisher=Condé Nast|accessdate=21 February 2018|date=21 February 2018}}</ref> The [[Freedom of the Press Foundation]] had previously served as the Signal project's fiscal sponsor and continued to accept donations on behalf of the project while the foundation's non-profit status was pending.<ref name="blog-announcement" />


The initial $50M in funding was a loan, not a donation, from Brian Acton to the new nonprofit Signal Technology Foundation. By the end of 2018, the loan had increased to $105,000,400, which is due to be repaid on February 28, 2068. The loan is unsecured and at 0% interest.<ref name=990_2018 />
The initial $50M in funding was a loan, not a donation, from Brian Acton to the new nonprofit Signal Technology Foundation. By the end of 2018, the loan had increased to $105,000,400, which is due to be repaid on February 28, 2068. The loan is unsecured and at 0% interest.<ref name=990_2018 />

Revision as of 22:14, 9 January 2021

Signal Foundation
Signal Technology Foundation
FoundedJanuary 10, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-01-10)[1]
Founders
Type501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
82-4506840 [2]
FocusOpen-source privacy technology
Headquarters650 Castro Street, Suite 120-223 [3]
Location
Area served
Global
Key people
SubsidiariesSignal Messenger
Revenue$609,365 [5] (2018)
Staff36 [6] (2020)
Websitesignalfoundation.org
Formerly called
Open Whisper Systems

The Signal Foundation, officially the Signal Technology Foundation,[2][3] is a non-profit organization founded in 2018 by Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton.[4] Its mission is "to develop open-source privacy technology that protects free expression and enables secure global communication."[7]

The foundation shares its name with the Signal messaging app.

History

On February 21, 2018, Moxie Marlinspike and WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton announced the formation of the Signal Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.[4][8] The foundation was started with an initial $50 million in funding from Acton, who had left WhatsApp's parent company Facebook in September 2017.[8] The Freedom of the Press Foundation had previously served as the Signal project's fiscal sponsor and continued to accept donations on behalf of the project while the foundation's non-profit status was pending.[4]

The initial $50M in funding was a loan, not a donation, from Brian Acton to the new nonprofit Signal Technology Foundation. By the end of 2018, the loan had increased to $105,000,400, which is due to be repaid on February 28, 2068. The loan is unsecured and at 0% interest.[5]

People

As of October 2020, the Signal Foundation board of directors has three members:[7]

Acton is also the president.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Signal Technology Foundation". OpenCorporates. Delaware Department of State: Division of Corporations. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Signal Technology Foundation". Nonprofit Explorer. Pro Publica Inc. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "Statement of Information" (PDF). businesssearch.sos.ca.gov. California Secretary of State. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Marlinspike, Moxie; Acton, Brian (21 February 2018). "Signal Foundation". Signal.org. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Signal Technology Foundation - Form 990 for period ending December 2018". Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. ^ Wiener, Anna (19 October 2020). "Taking Back Our Privacy". The New Yorker. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Signal Foundation". signalfoundation.org. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b Greenberg, Andy (21 February 2018). "WhatsApp Co-Founder Puts $50M Into Signal To Supercharg Encrypted Messaging". Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved 21 February 2018.

Further reading