this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2023
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[–] cultsuperstar@kbin.social 114 points 11 months ago (1 children)

This article didn't really give any new reasons not to use WhatsApp. All the reasons stated in the article are already known. I thought this article was about a new breach or something, but it's a rehash of info that's been around a while. The article is also a few months old, dating back to April.

If there's one thing I've learned, people will use whatever app they're most comfortable with and whatever app their friends use, regardless of security ("I got nothing to hide!") or features ("I don't care about x or y!"). Then you end up like me, using several different apps. That's not necessarily a bad thing as I like using different apps and seeing how features differ from app to app, like how an app shows link previews, or if it can display a meme by pasting the link in the text box vs having to download the image and attach it in-line. But it's hard to get people to switch when a lot of people don't care.

[–] UdeRecife@kbin.social 15 points 11 months ago

@cultsuperstar

Then you end up like me, using several different apps. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as I like using different apps and seeing how features differ from app to app, like how an app shows link previews, or if it can display a meme by pasting the link in the text box vs having to download the image and attach it in-line.

I want to thank you for this comment. You made me think of something that felt like my mind was expanding a bit. You're mentioning a kind of personal decentralized attitude towards what apps we use.

Why stuck to just one? Why put all eggs in one basket? Yeah, I know it's more comfortable. But being comfortable does not make it safe, failure-proof. With this I'm not trying to point out some faux-pas on your thinking. Rather the reverse. You're hinting at something that bears a lot of meaning.

Instead of me being frustrated because other people won't change their platforms, I can see that as an opportunity to decentralize my own practices. I can embrace other people's immobility as both an example of what I should avoid and of being forced to keep a lot of channels open. While they're stuck into the centralization trap, I'm federating between different instances.

Again, thank you for your comment. It was really eye opening.

[–] ProfessorFlaw@lemmy.world 91 points 11 months ago (12 children)

The problem is everybody is using it and its impossible to move to signal etc

[–] Anders429@lemmy.world 20 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Dang, I'm feeling pretty lucky that no one in my life uses WhatsApp. Sounds like that's not the norm.

[–] ProfessorFlaw@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago (3 children)

In europe literally everybody uses whatsapp you wont be able to do anything without it (docotrs, food delivery, literally every person like friends and familly, corona test results, company customer support, the list goes on)

[–] tad_lispy@lemm.ee 9 points 11 months ago

That's grossly exaggerated. I live in western Europe and never once used WhatsApp. There are very occasional frictions, like people being surprised I don't have it. Then when I explain that it's operated by Facebook, they are also surprised and sometimes are willing to quit themselves.

[–] 0000011110110111i@lemm.ee 7 points 11 months ago

I live in Europe and I don’t use WhatsApp. Never have. Hasn’t been a problem for me.

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[–] scottywh@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It's not nearly as common in the US as it seems to be in many places in Europe.

[–] Zetaphor@zemmy.cc 13 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Also all of South America. Everything from ordering pizza to scheduling a doctor's appointment. Not having WhatsApp means you are not able to participate in society

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[–] PlutoniumAcid@lemmy.world 15 points 11 months ago

EVERYONE in my backwater country of residence uses WhatsApp and they can't be bothered to use anything else.

When I say I don't have that service then they are stumped and can't think of a way to message me. Fucking morons.

Adults in Austria... Sigh.

[–] Jujuki@lemmy.world 12 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Not only everybody, but companies, banks and goverment instances are using it too. Some apps that sends their OTP via WhatsApp. Some companies and instances only reachable.via whatsapp bot and whatnot.

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[–] Synthead@lemmy.world 90 points 11 months ago (3 children)

It's owned by meta, which is notoriously bad with your privacy.

Saved you a click.

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[–] Coeus@coeus.sbs 87 points 11 months ago (1 children)

What if I'm already not using it?

[–] Walter_Ego@lemmy.arpatubes.net 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

what if love isn't enough?

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago (2 children)

What if love? Baby don't hurt me

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[–] Mantis_Toboggan@lemmy.world 72 points 11 months ago (14 children)

As someone from Latin America. FUCK!

It’s literally what everyone uses for business, family/friends groups. Don’t know if any country around here is an exception, but we started using it because greedy telecoms were charging so much money for SMS at the time. So, it was a great way to circumvent that.

Then Facebook bought it when it was already established, so it’s improbable that people will move away from it.

[–] Screwthehole@lemmy.world 41 points 11 months ago (2 children)

The article isn't very, uh, articulate in its reasoning. Nothing here is an actual real life problem it's all just what-ifs, and 2 billion people aren't going to quit using it

[–] zaph@lemmy.world 48 points 11 months ago (2 children)

A teen in Nebraska was sentenced to 3 months in jail because Facebook turned over her "private" messages but sure, no real life problems with trusting meta with your "encrypted" messages.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

I do not disagree with your basic premise and I completely disagree with the Nebraska prosecution but I think people need to understand that everything we do online it's monitored.

If they can't get the actual message data, they will use meta data (e.g. two parties sending and receiving data packets that match in size and time of occurrence and protocol and are known to each other) or whatever.

If you are doing something you are worried about other people knowing about, do not use any digital form of communication. Full stop. There is no privacy online.

[–] zaph@lemmy.world 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

You're absolutely right, there's no privacy online. But there are significantly better alternatives that offer end to end encryption and sometimes digital communication is required.

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[–] yeather@lemmy.ca 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

That was Facebook Messenger too, completely different app and problem, not that Whatsapp isnt better or worse.

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[–] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Time to move to Telegram/Signal

[–] XpeeN@sopuli.xyz 27 points 11 months ago

Signal. Just signal

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[–] ice2194@kbin.social 57 points 11 months ago

The day it was bought by Meta(Facebook) people should have moved away if you ask me.
Then again that's easy for me to say as someone who doesn't talk to anyone and so doesn't need any messenger apps. However I hear Signal is good.

[–] ohlaph@lemmy.world 48 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I haven't used it since it was purchased by Facebook.

[–] rebul@kbin.social 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I seem to remember that the former owner of Whatsapp recommended people NOT use it after he sold it to Zuck.

[–] 1chemistdown@kbin.social 19 points 11 months ago

He financed Signal app after walking away from meta and an addition 3/4 of a billion or something like that. He publicly stated that they’re evil. When financing Signal App his one stipulation was don’t do that

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[–] DaveNa@lemmy.ml 36 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I would like more clickbait title please, thanks.

[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 24 points 11 months ago (2 children)
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[–] kylostillreigns@lemmy.world 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Despite all of its privacy concerns, one can't really get rid of it if everyone around is using it as the default communication mode, unless you're a social outcast. The thing with communication apps is that they aren't a personal choice.

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[–] 6mementomori@lemmy.world 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Meanwhile literally everyone uses it here. Choose between forfeiting your privacy or isolation. I've already left Instagram and that cut me out of a good portion of online interaction here. Leaving whatsapp would eliminate most forms of contact I have with people here. The only thing left is mobile calling, and SMS, which is basically forgotten by everyone. The shit that happens when one platform rules over all.

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[–] MyDogLovesMe@sh.itjust.works 13 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Ungh, my family all uses it. So I’m kind of forced to use it only for one chat as were all far away. I seriously DON’T want it on my phone though.

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[–] yoz@aussie.zone 9 points 11 months ago

Deleted whatsapp in 2016 and never looked back.

[–] evatronic@lemm.ee 8 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Google is pushing RCS pretty hard in a lot of markets. It supplants SMS functionality, and in Google's own "Messages" app, it operates in a way that the end user doesn't have to actively select one oro the other.

RCS also has all (or most of) the features you see in other apps like WhatsApp, etc. It has the potential for end-to-end encryption in the spec, and Google says it's on by default when both parties in a conversation support it, but I don't know if that's actually true or marketing bullshit.

Here's to hoping Google will stick with this one long enough for the standard to take hold. RCS is what messaging should be.

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[–] Zaphodquixote@sh.itjust.works 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Anymore? I've literally never used it. Refused to, even.

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[–] jesterraiin@lemmy.world 7 points 11 months ago (2 children)

And lose the ability to interact with all those people that won't be convinced to switch to less of a software gore?

Yeah, definitely great idea, so rebel & stuff...

[–] iamak@infosec.pub 15 points 11 months ago

You should read about EU's proposed law DMA. It aims to solve this problem of not being able to contact friends if you uninstall WhatsApp (or any other app). The link explains it better lol

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[–] housepanther@lemmy.goblackcat.com 7 points 11 months ago

I have a distrust of just about all things corporate. That's reason enough for me not to use it.

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