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WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

independent.co.uk

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Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#21

Post by microtonal »

forgetsusername wrote: post #18
IkmoIkmo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? All my friends, my boss, the shop I just bought a new suit at, my municipality, they're all on whatsapp nowadays. It's a pretty big deal to just cut it out of my life. It's a platform that's approaching something like 'have an email address' or 'have a phone' in practical terms. There are workarounds but they're not as painless as simply deciding to 'use an alternative chat alternative'. It's like saying you…

> It's a platform that's approaching something like 'have an email address' or 'have a phone' in practical terms. Not even remotely. I realize that WhatsApp is a big thing, but I've never even used it or have anyone in my circle who uses it. And I work in the tech industry. Do people really feel social pressure to use a specific app?

Not even remotely. I realize that WhatsApp is a big thing, but I've never even used it or have anyone in my circle who uses it. And I work in the tech industry

I can't deduce from your profile where you are from, but can people stop extrapolating the situation in the US to the rest of the world? There are many countries where is Whatsapp is far more popular than SMS or any other messenger, country-wide.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#23

Post by microtonal »

maccard wrote: post #4

Well this is kind of obvious, is it not? Of course Facebook is going to have access to your data, they run the service. It's the same as expecting Google to not have access to your nest data, or Amazon to not have access to your twitch data. If it turns out that they're still using our data for advertisement purposes between the two platforms after opting out, then we can be outraged.

Well this is kind of obvious, is it not? Of course Facebook is going to have access to your data, they run the service. It's the same as expecting Google to not have access to your nest data, or Amazon to not have access to your twitch data.

The problem is that when Whatsapp gained traction, they were a company that built much of their reputation on charging a small yearly fee rather than selling your data or putting up advertisements. Or to quote 2012's Whatsapp once more:

Advertising isn't just the disruption of aesthetics, the insults to your intelligence and the interruption of your train of thought. At every company that sells ads, a significant portion of their engineering team spends their day tuning data mining, writing better code to collect all your personal data, upgrading the servers that hold all the data and making sure it's all being logged and collated and sliced and packaged and shipped out... And at the end of the day the result of it all is a slightly different advertising banner in your browser or on your mobile screen.

Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product.

https://blog.whatsapp.com/245/Why-we-dont-sell-ads?

It's clear why people are upset.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#24

Post by bad_user »

AlexandrB wrote: post #19
nly wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What did we really expect? That they were going to support a 1 billion user app as a public good? The writing was on the wall when they dropped the 79 pence per year fee

I think that it's a good reminder that all the sentiment in the world is meaningless in the face of changing ownership and/or business realities. See also Instapaper + Pinterest. Edit - Also a reminder to founders: If you want your vision for the company to survive, don't sell it !

Founders that sell are very much aware of this fact. If they're selling it's either because they have no choice, or because they don't believe in said vision. In the end, unless you have a strong contract that protects users with the threat of a fork, like being based on a distributed open protocol, or an open source license, it's all just bullshit and marketing, whereas aligning with your users interests is only temporary.

I also think there's an inherent lesson for users here, more than it is for founders: don't trust startups, most of them won't survive and won't have the decency to die either, preferring instead to sell your account and data to the highest bidder.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#26

Post by AnonymousPlanet »

totocino wrote: post #8
ffggvv wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't use neither facebook nor whatsapp and I live perfectly fine. It's not like you stop breathing. In my experience telling people that you prefer a different medium from whatsapp is not a big deal.

Depends on where you live. You'd be a monster here if you didn't use WhatsApp :D

In my opinion, you're a monster if you impose using a certain product on your environment.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#27

Post by madeofpalk »

Sidetone, but I find it a bit rich that The Independent is going all high and mighty about privacy and sharing data, when they have the most atrocious ad and tracking experience I've seen on a media site in a long time.

Ghostly found 40 trackers http://imgur.com/a/miilB, the ads are extremely obnoxious. There's literally ads on top of ads sliding down my screen, pushing the content around. https://gfycat.com/InsecureHealthyAurochs

Those in glass houses...

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#28

Post by totocino »

AnonymousPlanet wrote: post #26
totocino wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depends on where you live. You'd be a monster here if you didn't use WhatsApp :D

In my opinion, you're a monster if you impose using a certain product on your environment.

Yes, and that's what you do if you, knowing 99.9999% of people use whatsapp, force your friends/family to install something else. So, use whatsapp, and don't be a monster.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#29

Post by Sylos »

nly wrote: post #17
tszming wrote: post #9

Why we don't sell ads (2012) https://blog.whatsapp.com/245/Why-we-dont-sell-ads ?

What did we really expect? That they were going to support a 1 billion user app as a public good? The writing was on the wall when they dropped the 79 pence per year fee

I did expect it, but I'd still rather pay with money.

Re: WhatsApp – Opting out of new terms doesn’t stop Facebook taking information

#30

Post by 77yy77yy »

Whatsup was sharing info with Facebook months ago. I remember seeing a Watchapp contact as a friend recommendation on my Facebook profile. Other than that Whatsapp contact, we have nothing in common, no other way Facebook could have picked it up.
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