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My main Android phone is now 99% Google free

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Re: My main Android phone is now 99% Google free

#3

Post by hamburgererror »

ggm wrote: post #2

Installing whatsapp was a "wtf" moment. Degoogle but leave meta in your life? I know that it's driven in other people's communications modalities.

Honestly I understand OP, I also run GrapheneOS but most of my social life happens on whatsapp and I know it's stupid but I can't change dozens of people's choice to install Signal, even though most of them know the issues with Meta.

My hope is that one day or another whatsapp will enshittify so bad that people will be more prone to move to Signal in the same way that recently Windows got so bad that many users moved to Linux.

Re: My main Android phone is now 99% Google free

#4

Post by TFNA »

ggm wrote: post #2

Installing whatsapp was a "wtf" moment. Degoogle but leave meta in your life? I know that it's driven in other people's communications modalities.

WhatsApp has replaced the PSTN in many countries. Without it, you cannot contact businesses; they simply do not answer normal phone calls. Also, booking accommodation over the internet may require WhatsApp in order to receive self-check-in information, and if you manage to communicate to the accommodation that you don’t have WhatsApp, it may simply cancel your reservation unilaterally.

Re: My main Android phone is now 99% Google free

#6

Post by LoganDark »

ggm wrote: post #2

Installing whatsapp was a "wtf" moment. Degoogle but leave meta in your life? I know that it's driven in other people's communications modalities.

I feel like going with LineageOS rather than GrapheneOS for WhatsApp would be a mistake since GrapheneOS has much stronger sandboxing.

Re: My main Android phone is now 99% Google free

#7

Post by graemep »

TFNA wrote: post #4
ggm wrote: post #2

Installing whatsapp was a "wtf" moment. Degoogle but leave meta in your life? I know that it's driven in other people's communications modalities.

WhatsApp has replaced the PSTN in many countries. Without it, you cannot contact businesses; they simply do not answer normal phone calls. Also, booking accommodation over the internet may require WhatsApp in order to receive self-check-in information, and if you manage to communicate to the accommodation that you don’t have WhatsApp, it may simply cancel your reservation unilaterally.

Even where its not required, it can be a lot cheaper (e.g. for international calls) and has features (conference calls) not offered by consumer phones.

Whatsapp's success has partly been driven by telecoms companies over-charging.

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