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Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

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Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#31

Post by Markoff »

tasogare wrote: post #18
ThePhysicist wrote: post #9

From my experience a lot of people will not hesitate to contact you via WhatsApp even in a professional setting if they can get hold of your phone number. After this happened several times to me I made sure to have a separate phone for business where no messengers or any "social" apps are installed. The funny side of this behavior is your client messaging you via WhatsApp but forgetting their profile picture shows th…

I’ve never understood the appeal of WhatsApp: it requires a phone number (so it’s useless or hard to setup abroad, and it’s tied to a very personal data), handle very poorly wifi connection (somehow it seems to only update when connected over 4G) and force me to download pictures and videos to see them, trashing my photo folder in the process. It also has no killer features in comparison to any existing messaging app…

I have no problem with wifi connection and whatsapp, neither does anyone in my circle

There is option in Chats\media visibility to not trash your photo folder

not sure what are you using what is safer and/or does not require phone number

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#32

Post by fruffy »

tasogare wrote: post #18
ThePhysicist wrote: post #9

From my experience a lot of people will not hesitate to contact you via WhatsApp even in a professional setting if they can get hold of your phone number. After this happened several times to me I made sure to have a separate phone for business where no messengers or any "social" apps are installed. The funny side of this behavior is your client messaging you via WhatsApp but forgetting their profile picture shows th…

I’ve never understood the appeal of WhatsApp: it requires a phone number (so it’s useless or hard to setup abroad, and it’s tied to a very personal data), handle very poorly wifi connection (somehow it seems to only update when connected over 4G) and force me to download pictures and videos to see them, trashing my photo folder in the process. It also has no killer features in comparison to any existing messaging app…

It's a simple calling and messaging app without the baggage of Facebook integration. That is all people wanted.

It is now redundant but that was not the case 10 years ago. People just stick with it since there is little incentive to adapt anything else. WhatsApp just works.

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#33

Post by BjoernKW »

Just a few years ago, paramedics in Germany were routinely (and probably not entirely legally) using WhatsApp for communicating with the hospital while en route because there wasn't (and still isn't) a reliable, secure and interoperable system allowing healthcare providers to communicate with each other.

It's not like people in Germany are using tools such as WhatsApp in a professional context because they're negligent or careless (at least not entirely). Often, the digital infrastructure available to them is so woefully inadequate they have to resort to non-official tools.

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#34

Post by jeltz »

raverbashing wrote: post #5
edejong wrote: post #3

Then provide useful, technically complete, secure alternatives that are vetted by the government. The expectations of your employees are changing, so the technology you provide should change along.

Gov IT departments are a couple of years behind (average) company IT departments which are a couple of years behind what people use.

The French government uses Matrix so it does not have to be like that. And the German military is looking into moving to Matrix too.

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#35

Post by thaumasiotes »

maltelandwehr wrote: post #25
tasogare wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve never understood the appeal of WhatsApp: it requires a phone number (so it’s useless or hard to setup abroad, and it’s tied to a very personal data), handle very poorly wifi connection (somehow it seems to only update when connected over 4G) and force me to download pictures and videos to see them, trashing my photo folder in the process. It also has no killer features in comparison to any existing messaging app…

The appeal of WhatsApp was free text messages, which is still not a thing in many countries. Plus free international text messages. That’s is how they grew to a billion users without being a success in either the USA or China.

> The appeal of WhatsApp was free text messages

Except that this is a feature of every messaging app. It's not really a response to

>> It also has no killer features in comparison to any existing messaging app, nor the defunct MSN.

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#36

Post by Markoff »

qznc wrote: post #28

In german companies, I see an increasing use of Threema as the "official" messenger. Is that only a german trend?

threema is not open source and it is not free, Signal (better some European fork) without recent baggage would be better option

user base is extremely slow, in Slovak media Threema is associated with mafia and murder of journalist, it will be hard to convince people to use same app as mobsters

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#37

Post by VMG »

anoncake wrote: post #11
edejong wrote: post #3

Then provide useful, technically complete, secure alternatives that are vetted by the government. The expectations of your employees are changing, so the technology you provide should change along.

Banning WhatsApp actually accomplishes that by creating demand for these alternatives.

nope, people will use SMS and email

Re: Germany's data chief tells ministries WhatsApp is a no-go

#40

Post by mjevans »

kxxsc wrote: post #30
tasogare wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve never understood the appeal of WhatsApp: it requires a phone number (so it’s useless or hard to setup abroad, and it’s tied to a very personal data), handle very poorly wifi connection (somehow it seems to only update when connected over 4G) and force me to download pictures and videos to see them, trashing my photo folder in the process. It also has no killer features in comparison to any existing messaging app…

I think you are underestimating the degree to which requires only a phone number is a killer feature: -you download the app and can immediately get started after verifying your phone number (no ID or password required) -you don't need to share any ID or connection details other than just your phone number I spend a lot of time in India, and I think this lack of complexity has contributed significantly to its virality…

It's amazing to consider this killer feature for _normal_ people is one of the kill-worthy features in my will never touch it category.
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