Why Pavel Durov says deleted Signal messages may not be gone

Pavel Durov said push notifications can create a privacy risk even after users delete messages and apps. 

His remarks followed reports that investigators retrieved deleted Signal messages from iPhone notification logs, renewing debate about metadata, device storage and private messaging tools.

Durov said push notifications can leave message data on a device outside the encrypted chat itself. He said that risk remains even when users turn off preview text, because people they contact may still use default settings.

“Turning off notification previews won’t make you safe if you use those applications, because you never know whether the people you message have done the same,” he wrote.

He linked that point to privacy settings that depend on choices made by both sides of a conversation.

Durov referred to a report first published by 404 Media. The report said the FBI accessed deleted Signal messages from notification logs stored on an Apple iPhone used in a criminal case.

The case drew attention to how investigators can access data created around messages, even when message content remains protected by end-to-end encryption.

Moreover, the reports renewed focus on metadata, notification storage and other records created by messaging apps and operating systems. Encrypted content may stay protected, but surrounding device data can still reveal communication details.

That debate also increased interest in messaging tools that try to reduce centralized data collection. Developers of decentralized platforms say local storage, routing methods and network design affect how much information remains after users send or delete messages.

Decentralized apps gain users during bans

Interest in decentralized messaging and social platforms has risen since 2025 during blackouts, unrest and internet restrictions. Exploding Topics data cited in the report showed online search interest in decentralized social media platforms rose 145% over five years.

The report also pointed to Bitchat, a Bluetooth mesh messaging app that works without the internet. It said more than 48,000 users in Nepal downloaded the app during a social media ban in September 2025, while Durov said Telegram bans in Iran drove users toward VPNs instead of state-backed services.