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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

#41

Post by zelphirkalt »

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.

I think it'll have to be more precise, to make a point. E-Mail is also a form of text message and it has been free basically forever.

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

#42

Post by maccard »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #35
maltelandwehr wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

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

It wasn't 11 years ago.

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

#43

Post by rmoriz »

VMG wrote: post #39

From personal experience, I can tell you that the consequence of this will be that ministries will be using unencrypted and unauthenticated email and SMS.

At least in Germany companies and government are required to configure mandatory TLS for SMTP and IMAP so the biggest attack vector is gone. No end-to-end encryption though.

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

#44

Post by zelphirkalt »

riantogo wrote: post #20
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…

You can change the setting for photos not be saved to your camera roll. And in my experience whatsapp has the best connectivity.

Connectivity is what your phone has. It has nothing to do with Whatsapp. Whatsapp does not add anything to your connectivity.

Perhaps you mean "server availability/reliability"?

The only thing Whatsapp could do, without reaching deeply into the system, is to retry sending messages over and over, until they are sent. If other messengers give up early, then perhaps that could create a false impression of improved connectivity.

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

#45

Post by mioelnir »

VMG wrote: post #39

From personal experience, I can tell you that the consequence of this will be that ministries will be using unencrypted and unauthenticated email and SMS.

Or not. Landesregierung BaWü for example distributes the daily COVID-19 news via Threema.

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

#46

Post by gargs »

zelphirkalt wrote: post #41
maltelandwehr wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I think it'll have to be more precise, to make a point. E-Mail is also a form of text message and it has been free basically forever.

Email with real-time push notifications is not free. Without push notifications, WhatsApp, or any other messaging platform is essentially DOA. Theoretically, we only have Apple and Google with their limited operating systems in the early years to blame for the rise of the notifications economy.

Edit: While there are free email solutions that provide free push, you are either tied to the platform or are made to download an email app, which just makes WhatsApp an easier to use alternative, even if your use case is just spamming groups with pictures or video.

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

#47

Post by Leace »

Germany already experimented with a couple of hosted open services: https://www.golem.de/news/whatsapp-matrix-oder-xmpp-bmi-such...

The Conversations.im team also leaves in Germany so I wonder why won't they just utilize their own solutions? Or maybe that's being considered...

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

#48

Post by flohofwoe »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #35
maltelandwehr wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Every mobile messaging app has this now, but not in 2009 when WhatsApp started. I remember that mobile carriers were really pissed for a while that WhatsApp killed the SMS.

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

#49

Post by ForHackernews »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #35
maltelandwehr wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

My UK wireless carrier still charges extra for "MMS" (aka SMS w/photos) but I can't imagine who pays for it when WhatsApp exists.

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

#50

Post by thaumasiotes »

maccard wrote: post #42
thaumasiotes wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

> Except that this is a feature of every messaging app. It's not really a response to It wasn't 11 years ago.

Yes, it was. For example, I ran AIM on a BlackBerry. MSN Messenger was around 11 years ago too.
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