If I HAD to use one, which one would be better? While Whatsapp is owned by Facebook, they have end to end encryption for the messages, while the metadata is not. However, on Telegram, nothing is end to end encrypted unless you use a secret chat which most regular people are most likely not going to use. I have a feeling Whatsapp would be better but I wanted to hear your thoughts.
How does one convince people to use Signal when nobody else around them has it?
I did the same some years ago. Just deleted WhatsApp and told everyone I was either available via Signal/Threema or via SMS/Mail. Most of my friends installed Signal alongside WhatsApp over the following weeks.
And this “worked” in a country with over 90 % WhatsApp users ;-).
Just let them know you don’t want Facebook having anything more on you than they already do. Let them know it has everything people want in messaging apps like stickers (whatever the heck those are?!), GIFS, video and phone calls, groups, etc.