Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#1

Post by millibar » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 4:50 PM UTC

As everyone must have seen today, facebook updated WhatsApps privacy policy to start sharing data collected from WhatsApp with other F*ckbook products.

I'd love to switch but by doing so I would be isolating myself from friends and family that use WhatsApps exclusively.

How would you go about convincing them to switch to something like Telegram?

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#2

Post by dwardu » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 4:55 PM UTC

Simple: You wont get computer help from me anymore if you try message me on WhatsApp. Install the messenger i tell you to install.

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#3

Post by gtirloni » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:22 PM UTC

Nobody will give a damn about the privacy changes. You've got to convince them based on other features like stickers, video playback and other "exciting" things.

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#4

Post by nikivi » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:29 PM UTC

My family hates WhatsApp as there are no Telegram stickers there. So it was easy.

So I guess, I'd show them animated stickers. WhatsApp feels archaic tbh

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#5

Post by 01635 » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:32 PM UTC

I tried asking my parents to switch to Signal, but it did not fly. They are in their 70s and are used to WhatsApp. They don't care about privacy.

My Mom yelled at me for endorsing Signal to her. She said: "All my friends are on WhatsApp. I don't want to install another app just because of one person."

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#6

Post by billfruit » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:33 PM UTC

nikivi wrote: post #4

My family hates WhatsApp as there are no Telegram stickers there. So it was easy. So I guess, I'd show them animated stickers. WhatsApp feels archaic tbh

But why Telegram over Signal?

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#7

Post by giantg2 » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:33 PM UTC

I'd just stop using it. I don't feel compelled to use something to be part of a group, but that's just me.

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#8

Post by fsloth » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:35 PM UTC

dwardu wrote: post #2

Simple: You wont get computer help from me anymore if you try message me on WhatsApp. Install the messenger i tell you to install.

Coercion? How crude and unlikely.

Everyone I know is able enough to administer their own gizmos. If someone asks, I point them to the zero config option that will require zero tech skills. Computer maintenance is mostly unskilled drudgery nowadays, not wizardry.

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#9

Post by nunodonato » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC

I stopped worrying about convincing. I joined other platforms to help others see I'm available (signal and telegram). more and more people are joining them too, so its good that you are there so others see you as well.

as for the rest, I let them handle the inconvenience of having to call/email me stuff... sometimes they dont, and thats fine, I just dont bother. if its important, people find a way.

Re: Ask HN: How would you convince your friends and family to switch from WhatsApp?

#10

Post by tallgiraffe » Thu, Jan 07, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC

giantg2 wrote: post #7

I'd just stop using it. I don't feel compelled to use something to be part of a group, but that's just me.

Same. I just said I was no longer using WhatsApp. Sure, it puts the pressure on them to switch, and makes you the bad guy for a while, but it works.

I mean, they are not going to stop using it for other people, but at least your communication will be somewhat private. At least until WhatsApp finds a way to siphon data from other apps that is.