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Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

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Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#12
post #2

Don't use Whatsapp. Work on a replacement on Veilid. https://veilid.com/

Nobody ever uses WhatsApp for the actual app. People use WhatsApp only because it's a walled garden that doesn't federate with any other servers so it's impossible to contact anyone through it without joining yourself.

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#14
post #7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or Matrix. With Matrix you can additionally bridge some chats from other platforms.

Sure, I just can't talk to my friends and family there :-).

I'm so tired of this answer. You have phones, right? You know, you dial ten or so digits and then you flap your mouthholes at the grill and pretend you're human?

Nah, let's just use the platform owned by the war criminal because everyone is there with our tech-ignorant relatives as our excuse. I hope you all meet a Rohingya one day.

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#16
post #14
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, I just can't talk to my friends and family there :-).

I'm so tired of this answer. You have phones, right? You know, you dial ten or so digits and then you flap your mouthholes at the grill and pretend you're human? Nah, let's just use the platform owned by the war criminal because everyone is there with our tech-ignorant relatives as our excuse. I hope you all meet a Rohingya one day.

Hey buddy take a xanax or something, this is hackernews not your DefCon forum.

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#17
post #9

> My question: what should I answer to that e-mail in order to force WhatsApp to collect as few metadata as possible coming from my activity? Simple answer – you aren't going to be able to. Do you think they are going to release a new version of the app just for you? Their current policy has undoubtedly been approved by legal teams in the EU and across the world and unless you can find better lawyers than theirs or s…

Well, you are wrong if OP is based in the EU. Every member state has DPA - Data Protection Authorities that citizens can contact and/or report companies that are voilating. They have the authority to investigate and hand out fines(1), which in GDPR can be rather significant.

https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/r...

(1): Its incorrect to say they have the authority to hand out fines, but I dont know the word it, and its perhaps not the most important part of this.

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#18
post #17
post #9

> My question: what should I answer to that e-mail in order to force WhatsApp to collect as few metadata as possible coming from my activity? Simple answer – you aren't going to be able to. Do you think they are going to release a new version of the app just for you? Their current policy has undoubtedly been approved by legal teams in the EU and across the world and unless you can find better lawyers than theirs or s…

Well, you are wrong if OP is based in the EU. Every member state has DPA - Data Protection Authorities that citizens can contact and/or report companies that are voilating. They have the authority to investigate and hand out fines(1), which in GDPR can be rather significant. https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/r... (1): Its incorrect to say they have the authority to hand out fines, but I dont…

Sure and what EU policies is WhatsApp violating?

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#19
post #18
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you are wrong if OP is based in the EU. Every member state has DPA - Data Protection Authorities that citizens can contact and/or report companies that are voilating. They have the authority to investigate and hand out fines(1), which in GDPR can be rather significant. https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/data-protection/r... (1): Its incorrect to say they have the authority to hand out fines, but I dont…

Sure and what EU policies is WhatsApp violating?

Well, thats not the point. The comment above asserted that OP cannot “move the needle”. I’d say thats incorrect. If WhatsApp is voilating gdpr.

Re: Ask HN: How can I meaningfully object to WhatsApp processing of my information?

#20
post #19
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure and what EU policies is WhatsApp violating?

Well, thats not the point. The comment above asserted that OP cannot “move the needle”. I’d say thats incorrect. If WhatsApp is voilating gdpr.

That is precisely the point. "Hey guys how can I take down Facebook?" Well you need proof of wrongdoing first, and don't have any. How is writing yet more emails in different words going to help?
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