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

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

#71
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]

How is it compared to telegram?

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

#72
post #3

Sounds like my Oculus paperweight...

why not just create a burner FB account?

It's no longer a burner if you type in payment details to buy stuff, it's then linked to your banking identity.

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

#74
How about pay $1 / year to opt out of all data sharing?

I foolishly installed the Facebook app on Android for a while. When I asked for a data dump from Facebook I was amazed at the amount of data it had stolen from my phone, including full contacts list. It sounds like that is exactly what Facebook are planning with WhatsApp.

I'd pay $1 / year to opt out of that and be the customer rather than the product.

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

#76

I'd like to move my family off of WhatsApp due to these concerns. I've used Signal before, but I am not a big fan of it. I often have to re-register my devices to sign in, syncing takes a long time, and conversations do not persist across devices. I am perfectly happy using a paid service. Does anyone here think Discord or Slack would be a suitable replacement?

> or Slack would be a suitable replacement

Jumping out of the Facebook frypan into the Salesforce fire doesn't seem to be a particularly winning move...

(Which also raises the question, whichever alternative you choose, you probably need to evaluate the risk of Facebook (or some equally evil corp) acquiring them down the track. I wonder how likely Discord/Telegram/Signal are to be able to resist Facebook-sized acquisition offers?)

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

#78
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]

That's just moving from one silo to another though. Users of centralized services don't have much recourse when the company pulls the rug out from under them.

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

#79
post #74

How about pay $1 / year to opt out of all data sharing? I foolishly installed the Facebook app on Android for a while. When I asked for a data dump from Facebook I was amazed at the amount of data it had stolen from my phone, including full contacts list. It sounds like that is exactly what Facebook are planning with WhatsApp. I'd pay $1 / year to opt out of that and be the customer rather than the product.

If you live in US, the number has to be probably close to $30/month to match what FB is making out of you

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

#80
post #71
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]

How is it compared to telegram?

IMO it works just as well and unlike Telegram it's actually credible... The telegram crypto is an absolute disaster and they have been pretty shady and defensive when asked about it in the past. Not to mention the back-end is closed-source. Also, the desktop clients still don't support encryption, many years after it's been first requested.
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