Edinburgh tops UK demand for encrypted messaging apps

The city of Edinburgh has emerged as the UK leader in searches for encrypted messaging apps, according to recent research.

A study by ur.co.uk analysed demand for encrypted messaging across the UK, revealing that Edinburgh residents had the highest interest in encrypted messaging solutions. Data from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Google searches showed Edinburgh had 16 searches per 1,000 residents for terms related to encrypted messaging. "Edinburgh demand encrypted messaging more than anywhere else in the UK," noted the study.

Following Edinburgh, the study placed Coventry in second, with 14.6 searches per 1,000 residents. Researchers suggested that Coventry's rising interest may indicate increasing awareness and concern about digital privacy in regional areas. "Coventry and Bristol place second and third," found the report.

Bristol ranked third with 11.4 searches per 1,000 people. These figures point to a growing importance placed on digital privacy tools by a range of UK cities, beyond traditional tech hubs.

Interestingly, the analysis found that major UK cities such as London and Manchester recorded the least interest in encrypted messaging. London had only 2.1 searches and Manchester just 1.1 searches per 1,000 residents. The study suggests that the lower demand could reflect "a wider accessibility to alternative communication tools and higher confidence in existing platforms" in these tech-heavy cities.

Nationwide, demand for encrypted messaging apps has increased significantly. The team from ur.co.uk observed that searches for 'encrypted messaging' and associated apps on both Apple and Google platforms rose by 104% over the last year. This growth is coupled with more than 193,000 instances of searches for encrypted or private dating apps within the UK.

The study cited a YouGov survey showing that 64% of Brits would feel embarrassed if their private messages were leaked or shared, highlighting the importance of privacy and security among smartphone users.

Regarding specific apps, Telegram experienced a notable 45% increase in demand, while Signal saw an 11% rise. WhatsApp, however, experienced a slight decline, with a 6% decrease in demand.

Amidst rising concerns about data protection, ur.co.uk's tech experts offered suggestions for maintaining privacy, especially when handling refurbished devices. They recommend performing a full factory reset before using a pre-owned phone, ensuring apps installed have comprehensive data handling policies, and using end-to-end encryption for backups.

Additionally, enabling strong passcodes and turning off automatic cloud backups for messaging apps were advised. Such precautions can help protect personal information from potential cyber threats.

The study ranked UK cities' demand for encrypted messaging, featuring cities like Bournemouth, Cardiff, and Newcastle upon Tyne in the top five. The findings pointed to a significant shift in the prioritisation of privacy tools across different regions.