X blocks Signal links: What's behind this move

X (formerly Twitter) users are currently facing problems uploading links to Signal.me, a messaging platform used by federal workers. A variety of failure notifications are being reported when X users attempt to post Signal links on the platform, some of which identify the blocked message as containing spam, harmful content, or malicious activity.

Initially, the issue is reported by Matt Binder, who notes that only Signal.me links appear to be impacted. Links to the Signal.org domain do not appear to be blocked, nor do similar services like Telegram.

Notably, Signal is used by journalists to get confidential information from sources, reassured by the knowledge that messages are end-to-end encrypted and stored on-device.

The messaging service has become particularly relatable in recent weeks as a tool for federal whistleblowers to report DOGE activity to the press.

Moreover, users are discouraged from clicking existing links published before the ban, and prevented from adding them to their profile bio. An error message displayed when the latter is attempted says the update failed due to the new description being “considered malware.”