this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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It is extremely widespread in Europe. In Germany, a good 50 million people (out of 80) use it every day. I would describe myself as very tech-savvy and privacy-conscious and would normally never use it , but since everyone in the family and friends use it without exception, there is no escape. plus quite a lot of business now use whatsapp for contact / support.
Same here (South America). You can not use it yourself but it will mostly keep you out of the loop on everything. Most of the phone companies don't charge you whatsapp message data just to make it more inescapable.
How is that even a thing? are your data-plans that shitty that this bit of whatsapp-traffic matters? Unless you're sending some hour-long movies every days.
Depends on the country, in mine data plans are not that expensive (add some asterisks to that). But they include those "whatsapp free" or some streaming service traffic with no cost to get the edge over other phone companies. All of them mostly have the whatsapp free thing.
I used to live in a different country and it did make a significant difference, as @desconectado@lemm.ee points out below.
You mean the WA-traffic made a significant difference? But how? It's still mostly just text, no?
Here data is expensive, but a messenger wouldn't make a difference (unless you'd exchange a lot of large files) so that any provider would gain a benefit over the competition. Including TV or netflix or tidal hifi, that'd would. Weird...
No, I don't mean that. Whatsapp traffic (files i don't think is included in the deal) is treated by the companies independently of other data traffic. You may not have a data plan, but still get a "whatsapp free" thingy, you can text for free via whatsapp without using data plans.
Ahhh i see. So no data at all but still free WA. That does make sense. And is pretty mean 😊
Data plans exists, but there is no good middle ground. You have the unlimited 4g connection for 20 USD , or the WhatsApp only for a few dollars.
Most of the people, specially older age or people who already have unlimited data from work phones, do not need 4g unlimited connection, so why spend extra 15 USD (which is a lot in latin America), if you can still communicate perfectly fine via WhatsApp.
I'm german too, and I just deny using a tool just because "everyone else does it". Those who use it and want to contact me, have bad luck or just use a decent messenger. This "there-is-no-escape"-mentality helps that shitty company to keep its grasp on people. I try to educate and offer alternatives. If it's not accepted, then at least I tried.
Nah man, I value way more the contact with my mum and close friends than refusing to use an stupid app.
If my mum is in trouble and try to message me via WhatsApp: "sorry mum, I don't answer WhatsApp messages, good luck next time trying to get someone to help you". Nah man, that's so shitty.
So. They can choose the app, but you mustn't? That's a weird reasoning imho.
You know, there's still a thing like sms or email if they really have to and ignore my simple wishes.
Yeah, they do, that's what living in a society is, not everyone does as you want, and you have to compromise.I have my own choices (in other aspects) which they probably have to live with. But I'm not going to ghost my mum (and close family) just because she uses WhatsApp, that's plain entitlement and immaturity.
I can't contact my mum via msm (not the same country), and are you seriously suggesting email over chat messages? They serve two different purposes.
Sorry, but it's not ghosting to me if they're ignorantly refusing to use anything else than this piece of crap software despite any explanation and help to install another one. Unless they're technically that challenged, that they would need years to understand it. I would accept nearly ANY other messenger, which i would install too. Once had viber installed just because one friend was slovakian and it's their thing there. But not WA. To me it's integrity, i couldn't look in the mirror if I'd be installing what i despise. Like a vegan eating meat not to offend someone.
I know, most people don't care about those things at all. But I do. And i hate, that the worst companies always win the races. I can't hate AND support it at the same time.
Of course email serves a different purpose. But that's beside sms the only alternative that's most likely already installed/available. I get a message on my messenger whenever i receive an email on any account, so i least it would be little lag for me.
check out deltachat! it's for messaging.... over email!