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WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

nytimes.com

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Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#841

Post by owebmaster »

bachmeier wrote: post #804
owebmaster wrote: post #696

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WhatsApp make billions of dollars but Meta wants it to make hundreds of billions. There's no way to appease the dragon.

How many of the people posting here that criticize this move are owners of Meta stock? The number is certainly above 50%, at least for those in the US, since most people with a retirement plan will own Meta in some form. It's the need to satisfy shareholders with new earnings.

That is not my case. If Meta had minted thousands of millionaires in my country I would have way less problems with them

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#842

Post by alex1138 »

I think it should also be pointed out that for all of the "Facebook is free, you are the product" and that maybe they should charge, Whatsapp had an existing monetization model

Zuckerberg is ruthless and cutthroat and Whatsapp was less a "savvy acquisition" (I mean, yeah, get rid of competition) than a "I want this, I need to own it"

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1692122

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#843

Post by yakkomajuri »

yakkomajuri wrote: post #769

I guess this was expected, but it makes me feel really powerless in the sense that I can't really move away from WhatsApp. I have a couple of friends that I message via Signal and even convinced my dad to use it a while back, but here in Brazil WhatsApp is _everything_, and I doubt most people care about this at all. In my case, I'd love to just go over to Signal fully but then I couldn't talk to family, friends, and…

This has led to all sorts of opinions on the thread, which are all very interesting!

I do agree that just accepting this is not the way to go, and also that slowly making changes is a valid approach.

I do want to qualify though, for those who aren't in a WhatsApp-heavy country, how things work.

I looked at my latest messages and beyond all my friends and all my family, I have my accountant, my landlord, my barber, HOA, groups for birthday party invites (where you're asked to confirm attendance), a painter, etc. In many restaurants, if you want a reservation, WhatsApp is the only way. For people who work in Brazil (I work remotely for a company abroad), a lot of work communication happens on WhatsApp.

Again, this is not to say that not dong anything is the way to go! But I think abroad some people don't understand the extent to which WhatsApp is used here. Someone mentioned iMessage for instance and I don't think I know a single person who uses it. Most Brazilians have Android phones too.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#844

Post by GFischer »

clocker wrote: post #813
eloisant wrote: post #808

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say Chinese people are aware that their Internet is pretty different from the rest of the world. Americans tend to believe everyone is trying very hard to be like them (when they think about the rest of the world at all).

Ironically WhatsApp is also American.

But it gained way more traction in other parts of the world, it's the default messaging platform in South America for EVERYTHING.

I have never seen an iMessage.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#845

Post by GFischer »

nikolayasdf123 wrote: post #836
yakkomajuri wrote: post #769

I guess this was expected, but it makes me feel really powerless in the sense that I can't really move away from WhatsApp. I have a couple of friends that I message via Signal and even convinced my dad to use it a while back, but here in Brazil WhatsApp is _everything_, and I doubt most people care about this at all. In my case, I'd love to just go over to Signal fully but then I couldn't talk to family, friends, and…

how is Apple in Brazil? iMessage is the way to go

Why? Isn't it a closed, non interoperable platform?

Android has 88% market share in Brazil, so it sounds like terrible advice.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#846

Post by latexr »

lynx97 wrote: post #675
Cipater wrote: post #610

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that more diverse leadership leads to better outcomes doesn't mean women are incapable of wrongdoing. Nobody said women are perfect angels who can do no wrong. That's a strawman and you know it. Be better, come on.

> Be better, come on. I am male. I can't "be better", I am already "the problem". Which is a reason why I am so fed up be the fight of the sexes. Its overboarding accusations on all sides. And I am not willing to "turn the other cheek" anymore. > Nobody said women are perfect angels who can do no wrong Ahem, the "believe all women" crowd did and do.

> I am male. I can't "be better", I am already "the problem".

Whether you are the problem or not is unrelated to your maleness. Being willing to be and do better is the first step on the journey that enables you to realise that truth.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#847

Post by sebastiennight »

knowitnone wrote: post #837
eloisant wrote: post #808

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say Chinese people are aware that their Internet is pretty different from the rest of the world. Americans tend to believe everyone is trying very hard to be like them (when they think about the rest of the world at all).

Your comment is snide and unnecessary. Do Chinese walk around thinking they want to be more American? No they don't. Americans certainly dont believe everyone is trying very hard to be like them - typically go about their own business. Chinese may be influenced by western shows and movies but everybody is influenced by the shows that they watch. Why do Americans need to think about the rest of the world? Do Chinese t…

Your reading of GP's comment is quite uncharitable. I did not read any "hatred" (of nationals from either country) in his post.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#849

Post by barbazoo »

throw7 wrote: post #826
yakkomajuri wrote: post #769

I guess this was expected, but it makes me feel really powerless in the sense that I can't really move away from WhatsApp. I have a couple of friends that I message via Signal and even convinced my dad to use it a while back, but here in Brazil WhatsApp is _everything_, and I doubt most people care about this at all. In my case, I'd love to just go over to Signal fully but then I couldn't talk to family, friends, and…

I refuse to be in servility to an app and don't use whatsapp. Facebook uses you. Let others, your friends, and family know the facts. In the case of "business requirements", push back on businesses. You are actually the customer. I get it though. The best might be a compromise where you try to limit the contacts on whatsapp to only those you have no choice.

That's the way.

> I'd love to just go over to Signal fully but then I couldn't talk to family, friends, and probably couldn't even book a haircut or pay my taxes (my accountant messages me on WhatsApp)

Comments like these make me think it's probably more a problem of inertia. Of course they can still talk to family (visit/call/email/sms/fax/mail,...), and of course they can still do their taxes, they might just have to get a different accountant that does business outside of WhatsApp. This all would take more energy than living in this beautifully convenient platform that Meta set up for them.

Re: WhatsApp introduces ads in its app

#850

Post by sebastiennight »

mvieira38 wrote: post #794
yakkomajuri wrote: post #769

I guess this was expected, but it makes me feel really powerless in the sense that I can't really move away from WhatsApp. I have a couple of friends that I message via Signal and even convinced my dad to use it a while back, but here in Brazil WhatsApp is _everything_, and I doubt most people care about this at all. In my case, I'd love to just go over to Signal fully but then I couldn't talk to family, friends, and…

Last night I just removed myself from every friend groupchat and blocked everyone there, while leaving a status message about how they can reach me on Signal or call me. If they are actually your friends they'll come around, and families survived before Whatsapp existed. I'm also brazilian, I just won't stand with people dismissing what matters to me as if I'm a nutjob for not using their fascist app

Why would you block people instead of just messaging them about how you're moving to Signal, and then uninstalling WhatsApp?

This approach seems unnecessarily confrontational and might end up being quite counterproductive.

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