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New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

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Re: New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

#21

Why did we as consumers accept this? I remember back when MSN/Windows Live Messenger used to be one of the most popular options out there. Even though I used Ubuntu, I could still chat with my friends through the Pidgin messenger. This was all possible through the XMPP interface, which still exists by the way. It's not just that these new messaging platforms are adding no extra value, they are creating worse experien…

Because SMS was expensive

Re: New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

#22

Why did we as consumers accept this? I remember back when MSN/Windows Live Messenger used to be one of the most popular options out there. Even though I used Ubuntu, I could still chat with my friends through the Pidgin messenger. This was all possible through the XMPP interface, which still exists by the way. It's not just that these new messaging platforms are adding no extra value, they are creating worse experien…

> Why did we as consumers accept this?

Short term thinking and focus on new shiny features over long term sustainability. It's a pattern we see repeated in many aspects of society, not just messaging. Combine this with network effects and it ceases to matter that a minority of people have the time and interest to think about the long term, the majority have already made the decision, and your choices are to either be left out, or participate. It's frustrating, but it's one of those things when a large enough sample of the population are living lives which have much bigger problems than messenger lock-ins.

tl;dr: stickers

Re: New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

#25
post #7

This is going to make it difficult for small startups to compete.

What's the reasoning for that? I think the opposite is true, because open protocols allow a startup to interact with existing users, without needing to overcome the hard barrier of network effects. Closed protocols only help entrenched groups, and are actively harmful to both users and startups.

Re: New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

#27

Just force monopolistic/abusive/anti-competitive companies to expose API's ; it's not a stretch; they did it for banks (psd2) and it's great for consumers and companies alike. Do it for everything; open systems make the world better. And they can still be monetized; it's not like forcing everyone to open source everything. Edit: more subtle choice of words to indicate what I meant

Most social media companies' businesses models rely on having complete control over the presentation of content. Forcing them to allow third-party client apps would ruin that, and it's going to be beautiful.

Re: New EU law could require iMessage and WhatsApp to work with other platforms

#29
post #5

This is almost too good to actually go through. Protocol transparency, that is to say forcing companies to open up their APIs would be one of the simplest and effective ways to break platform effects and walled gardens. It shouldn't just be limited to messaging. An internet where everyone can built a client against Facebook's API, or Youtube or what have you and users get actual choice and control about how they cons…

Er, WhatsApp is based on Noise for client server protocol, and Signal protocol for peer to peer encryption. Both were open standards before WhatsApp implemented them.
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