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WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

arstechnica.com

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Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#421

Post by zouhair »

frereubu wrote: post #22

I'd love to give up WhatsApp, but network effects are key here. I tried moving my extended family off WhatsApp onto Signal a couple of years ago and it failed miserably because the app wasn't nearly as easy to use, and they had all their friends on Whatsapp. Has anyone here had any success moving a large group of people onto something like Signal or Telegram? If so, do you have any tips?

I just stopped sending stuff to friends and family who want to keep using whatsapp.

So I just use email.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#422

Post by kyrra »

webmobdev wrote: post #340
throwaway17_17 wrote: post #333

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a genuine question, what is it that prohibits your group from using text messages and phone calls? I do not use any apps for communication, and can’t think of why I would have a need.

I don't use any of the private and popular messaging apps on my phone and do rely on SMS and phone calls to stay in touch. But there are limitations: - SMS is not encrypted. - SMS supports text only. MMS is not well supported, and often not free. - SMS is sometimes not as "instant" as it can be delayed. - Delivery reports and, read receipts are not user-friendly, and maybe unreliable, too. - Group SMS support depends…

FYI, Google has a working end-to-end encryption with RCS.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/19/21574451/android-rcs-enc...

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#424

Post by qwertox »

zouhair wrote: post #421
frereubu wrote: post #22

I'd love to give up WhatsApp, but network effects are key here. I tried moving my extended family off WhatsApp onto Signal a couple of years ago and it failed miserably because the app wasn't nearly as easy to use, and they had all their friends on Whatsapp. Has anyone here had any success moving a large group of people onto something like Signal or Telegram? If so, do you have any tips?

I just stopped sending stuff to friends and family who want to keep using whatsapp. So I just use email.

I also use email (and Threema), but it annoys me a lot when I then get those "(no subject)"-Emails with multi-megabyte VID-20201225-WA0005.mp4 attachments.

I just wish they would keep all their WhatsApp stuff away from me.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#425

Post by _vvhw »

seesawtron wrote: post #146
utf_8x wrote: post #62

Once again - Signal[0] as an alternative. It's fully Open-Source (including the backend) and their crypto is public and independently verified[1][2][3]... [0] https://signal.org/en/ [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_(software)#Encryption_p ... [2] https://threatpost.com/signal-audit-reveals-protocol-cryptog ... [3] https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/1013.pdf [PDF]

Social life is impossible without the mainstream technology. Sure you can find alternatives but if no one uses it other than you, you end up being sidelined. The technology gets enforced and leaves one with no choice but to accept it or be a red flag. Shouldn't it be possible to delete your whatsapp chat and contacts data regularly from the cloud? Eg. one could delete the whatsapp account, clear data on cloud and mak…

> Sure you can find alternatives but if no one uses it other than you, you end up being sidelined.

Make it happen.

Be the change you want to see.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#427

Post by cerved »

loycombinate wrote: post #426

Users in Hong Kong use WhatsApp to stay out of trouble with govt. Like accidentally talking about politics. If Facebook can read msg then govt can make them turn over the msg.

the data mentioned isn't messages but phone numbers, contacts, status messages, logs etc.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#428

Post by loycombinate »

cerved wrote: post #427
loycombinate wrote: post #426

Users in Hong Kong use WhatsApp to stay out of trouble with govt. Like accidentally talking about politics. If Facebook can read msg then govt can make them turn over the msg.

the data mentioned isn't messages but phone numbers, contacts, status messages, logs etc.

Having phone numbers and contacts of certain people can get you into trouble.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#429

Post by cabamba »

JadoJodo wrote: post #302

I was a loyal (and paying) WhatsApp user who would advocate it to anyone I could find. The combination of privacy, features, and ideology was exactly what I wanted in a communication app. Then Facebook bought them for $19B and I knew that, despite any allusions to the contrary, they would want that money back. And you don't get it $5/yr/user. I switched to Telegram and never looked back.

Either you pay to a service or the service trades you as an asset. Telegram is no exception. You are fooling yourself thinking that you escaped the trap.

Re: WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

#430

Post by raister »

touchpadder wrote: post #423

Time to stop using LizardWare and only use Telegram and Signal. A few years ago these were pretty exotic but now most people have them.

Doesn't Telegram had massive security issues in the past? Are you sure those are the only options?
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