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WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

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Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#71

Post by crossroadsguy »

toast0 wrote: post #52
duskwuff wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't recall specific deadlines for accepting the 2016 TOS Based on what I see in the archived article, it looks like accepting the TOS was a "roadblock" popup in the app -- you couldn't continue using the app without accepting the terms. Any accounts which hadn't accepted the terms after two years could have simply been closed for inactivity.

There was a process, you had to have a new enough client to get prompted, and once prompted there was a later option available for some amount of time before you were roadblocked. So if you were running an older version, the question becomes when did that version expire, forcing an upgrade to a version with the prompt, and then how long did you have from there to accept the terms. And, if you had an eligible account,…

Is there a way to check what option is enabled on my account? Sharing or not sharing?

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#72

Post by crossroadsguy »

GekkePrutser wrote: post #64
littlestymaar wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Earlier this year, when the change was announced and the media talked about it, I saw a ton of people starting to use signal (non-tech neighbours, my plumber, headhunters I still have in my contact list, etc). At this point I asked my mother to install it and to my surprise a lot of her friends where actually on Signal. It's still not the majority but at this point there is a significant user base for signal, much mo…

But are those people still using it? I saw a lot of those messages too around that time but since then most of them have moved back to WhatsApp as most of their contacts are still there.

A lot of them left after being frustrated with problems faced while trying to use Signal and failing which trying to help others use Signal.

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#73

Post by sul_tasto »

BLKNSLVR wrote: post #44
zaptheimpaler wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I sometimes wonder whether there is any purpose to it in the long term. If/when Signal becomes big enough to be used by a lot of people, they will want to monetize too and the governments will become interested in monitoring messages there too. It just feels futile. As long as companies need to turn a profit and governments can surreptitiously surveil their citizens there's no long-term solution. We can move to the n…

A decentralised, trustless future perhaps? I'm semi-conspiratorial, semi-fatalistic about society's ability to change politics politically / non-technically. There are too many who are too apathetic (and I might even be one of them by already being semi-fatalistic) that anchor the current system in perpetuity. My conspiratorial side says this is by design, whilst my fatalistic side says it's human nature (essentially…

You may be interested then in The True Story of Ah Q by Lu Xun.[0] There is also an adaptation by Christoph Hein that is quite good.[1]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_True_Story_of_Ah_Q

[1] https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_wahre_Geschichte_des_Ah_...

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#74

Post by yosito »

Djejdbdbsjs123 wrote: post #38
barbazoo wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure what makes you the authority of valid answers in this topic but as someone who has tried movie their extended family to Matrix, I'd take that option with a grain of salt. It's a lot more complicated than choosing the objectively best product.

I'm curious why I frequently hear that Matrix/Element are more difficult to use than Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, etc. I set it up for my elderly parents who just got their first smartphone a few months ago, and it's been going very smoothly. What are the complications that others seem to be having?

Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp, "just work", and it's zero effort to download, sign up, find contacts and start chatting. Matrix/Element is "good enough", but there's a lot of friction for each of those steps. Even I, as a technical person, get frustrated that there's some problem with my Matrix server every few weeks that I have to spend my time troubleshooting, sometimes missing timely messages because of it, or at least losing time that I'd rather be spending on other things.

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#75

Post by johnisgood »

barbazoo wrote: post #35
johnisgood wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are much better alternatives. XMPP, Matrix (Element), Wire, Briar, Ricochet, whatever.

Good luck onboarding one's grandma to any of those.

> Good luck onboarding one's grandma to any of those.

Huh? Just do it. Install it, then help her if you have to, similarly to how you introduced WhatsApp (or whatever else) to her, for example. They may not like change, but if they are capable of using another piece of IM software, they are capable of using any of the mentioned ones.

I installed Linux for many people who have never seen Linux their entire life. On some occasions I explained how to do something, and that was it.

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#77

Post by toast0 »

crossroadsguy wrote: post #71
toast0 wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was a process, you had to have a new enough client to get prompted, and once prompted there was a later option available for some amount of time before you were roadblocked. So if you were running an older version, the question becomes when did that version expire, forcing an upgrade to a version with the prompt, and then how long did you have from there to accept the terms. And, if you had an eligible account,…

Is there a way to check what option is enabled on my account? Sharing or not sharing?

AFAIK, it's in the GDPR report, but was never visible otherwise (including when the opt out was offered; once you opted out, you couldn't opt in or confirm that you opted out)

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#78

Post by johnisgood »

yosito wrote: post #74
Djejdbdbsjs123 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious why I frequently hear that Matrix/Element are more difficult to use than Signal, Telegram, Whatsapp, etc. I set it up for my elderly parents who just got their first smartphone a few months ago, and it's been going very smoothly. What are the complications that others seem to be having?

Signal, Telegram and WhatsApp, "just work", and it's zero effort to download, sign up, find contacts and start chatting. Matrix/Element is "good enough", but there's a lot of friction for each of those steps. Even I, as a technical person, get frustrated that there's some problem with my Matrix server every few weeks that I have to spend my time troubleshooting, sometimes missing timely messages because of it, or at…

> there's some problem with my Matrix server

Yeah, but grandparents (or whoever you are trying to introduce to Matrix) are not supposed to set up and run a Matrix server. If you meant that as an end-user you are having issues with the server you are on, perhaps you should use a different one. I have been using Element for quite a while now with matrix.org as my server, and I did not have any problems with the server I am on. The client is indeed buggy a bit[1]. Some bugs have been fixed since then though. If you run into bugs, report them please.

[1] There are many clients now for Android alone, for example, from F-Droid. Perhaps they are less buggier. I do not know.

Re: WhatsApp has removed answer to “how do I choose not to share data with FB”

#80

Post by johnisgood »

Djejdbdbsjs123 wrote: post #55
barbazoo wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The more technical people in our group tried to register accounts but we were never able to "find" or message each other. It was orders of magnitude more difficult than getting started with telegram or signal. Don't get me wrong, I do want to use Matrix, it was just not feasible at the time. I do know that it's technically the more sustainable choice.

I see. I've only added contacts in person via QR code. I guess it would be more difficult without that.

Yeah, you just do a single click on "+" (which says "Start chat"), and then it says on top "Start a conversation with someone using their name, email address or username (like @foobar:matrix.org).", so you just type in @username:server. Is it difficult? Could it get any easier? There might be other ways as well, such as the one you mentioned.
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