How WhatsApp exploits its users

[Retro]

So, how does one avoid WhatsApp when it's everywhere, the de facto standard? You don't, you just keep on getting exploited. If that makes you feel uncomfortable, it should.

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[Hitcore]

Yeah, I kinda knew that. And it is uncomfortable indeed. I only use it because everyone else is using it, which I hate even more. I've been trying to get my friends and family to use Signal and to ditch WhatsApp, even after showing them a video similar to the one you've posted, but they're too normie to really care and to make that sort of switch.

Below an interesting map of the most popular messaging apps in Europe:



As you can see WhatsApp is dominant in most countries. Then there is Messenger, which is also by Facebook/Meta, so same shit different toilet. I can attest to this personally even: none of my Danish friends use WhatsApp, they're all on Messenger (which I don't use). WhatsApp I do have to keep in touch with friends and family from The Netherlands.

Besides getting to them to try Signal, I've abandoned WhatsApp for a while and said to my family: I have a phone number and an email address, if you want to keep in touch use either of those. But the messed up part is that they just won't use it, even if I initiate it. Apping is all people know now these days.

 

[Tiffany]

I need to delete Whatsapp. Yuck! Another thing to do for my to-do list.

 

[Hitcore]

I need to delete Whatsapp

But it's difficult because so many of our contacts use it so heavily.
However, I have found a solution that works for me: I've transferred WhatsApp to some old phone+SIM that was just collecting dust. There I keep all my Dutch contacts. Checking up on them once or twice a week will be enough. And for my daily Danish life on my main phone I'm now WhatsApp-free!