I have decided to stop using WhatsApp

First Google and Facebook, Now WhatsApp is Banned in China @ gadgetgyani.com

I’ve always considered myself a little bit of a rebel regarding computer software or mobile applications. While everyone was using Windows, I decided to go for Linux. I used a Palm Treo Pro when everyone used Blackberry for business activities. And when people were transitioning to Android (in Spain, it is the most used Mobile OS), I decided to go for Apple and their iOS.

WhatsApp launched the popular messaging App 13 years ago (by now), in January 2009. I even paid the cost set on the Apple AppStore at that time, as it was “the only way” to get it with the promise to “send and receive free text messages” (instead of paying for the old SMS) working either on Android and iOS.

How WhatsApp came to my life

Download Whatsapp For Android Mobile Latest Version @ browntastic.weebly.com

Since then, I have seen how almost everyone has adopted WhatsApp. I have also followed the App changelog and its evolution (not for good, in my humble opinion). Thus, I found myself in a position I decided not to use WhatsApp anymore.

It has not been a decision I made lightly, and I know it will have consequences to my life (or I could even lose contact with some people), but I believe that if people don’t want to understand how I feel, then maybe I should not bother to stay in touch.

So… What changed?

3 things you can’t do on WhatsApp anymore if you don’t agree to your new terms on May 15th @ informatique-mania.com

Firstly, my main point to stop using WhatsApp is that Facebook (now Meta) bought it. It was the trigger to start moving out of the service. We will dig into this later.

Secondly, WhatsApp made me an “always-on” enslaved person. If they send you a WhatsApp message, people believe you must answer it straight away. Although some people understand this is not the case, unfortunately, there are more “toxic people” than “reasonable people”. I am missing those “old days” when I got an email, and I could answer it “later” or “tomorrow” because it was understood to be a non-active (or non-realtime) communication.

And finally, but no less critical, several alternatives and competitors nowadays are bringing me better service for my needs. And, even if I do not intend to promote any other App, I will need to mention them later because they have a considerable impact on my day-to-day.

Is Facebook owning WhatsApp a problem?

Facebook compra Whatsapp por 13.800 millones de euros @ jovitel.com

Yes, Facebook bought WhatsApp (and it has been a Facebook subsidiary) since 2014. I believe that “tolerating” Facebook as my messaging provider for 8 to 9 years has been more than enough.

Also, and in case someone believes this is not a “solid reason” to stop using this service, I will mention that Facebook (now Meta) is facing several legal battles due to their terrible business-as-usual decisions, such as:

1. Former employee Frances Haugen denounced Facebook’s practices in a vast dossier that worked with The Wall Street Journal.
2. Frances Haugen filed another complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The new complaint allegations are that the company misled investors when it announced that it was working to correct misinformation generated on topics such as COVID or the climate emergency when it never did.
3. The state of Texas has denounced the company for using facial recognition technologies. It claims several hundred billion dollars for tens of millions of violations of the privacy of the citizens of the state.
4. Finally, the Irish courts are preparing to rule on exporting data from European citizens to the United States. It is an additional problem that could complicate the company’s advertising business on the continent and end with sanctions for having continued to work in the same way when the conditions changed, and the Privacy Shield stopped working.

As an EU citizen, I value my privacy. And having Meta involved in so many legal battles for bad practices and the violation of the Governing Law (especially for the European citizens) should raise some concerns.

But what about my “personal reasons”?

Critical Thinking Skills @ aaimea.org

There are several reasons that I can enumerate for those that don’t want a “so technical” or “so legal” lecture. These are as follows:

1. Again: Facebook (Meta) owning WhatsApp, as I disagree on how they manage my data;
2. I have been using Telegram daily, but not WhatsApp (for more than six years), so there’s no reason for me to stick to it;
3. Telegram provides Bots that I can easily integrate with my Apps (as I am a Software Engineer);
4. Telegram provides a much more efficient cloud-based service than WhatsApp, including synchronisation and backups; and
5. Signal provides similar End-to-End encryption (if not the same) as WhatsApp.

And what about my contacts?

Let’s Keep In Touch & Stay In Touch @ youtube.com

The reactions I got from my contacts since I made my decision have been:

1. Getting (WhatsApp) messages asking: “Are you not using WhatsApp anymore?”; and
2. Keep messaging, ignoring my decision not to use it anymore.

And what did I do?

1. For the first case, ignore those silly messages; and
2. For the second case, send them back a picture saying “Not using WhatsApp anymore”.

And what are my conclusions?

1. If my family and friends need to reach out as soon as possible, it means we have an emergency, so WhatsApp won’t make it easier; call me.
2. If my family and friends don’t have an emergency, they can consider my needs, just like I have been adapting to theirs for years.
3. If my family and friends prefer not to stay in touch because I don’t have WhatsApp, I don’t see a reason to keep in touch.

But, David, did you uninstall WhatsApp?

Not yet. Right now:

1. I turned off my notifications;
2. I disconnected my web apps and desktop clients;
3. I don’t open it anymore;
4. I planned to delete it from my phone by the end of March; and
5. I planned not to install it again, as my contacts know they can reach me out via Email, SMS, Telegram and Signal.

And you know what? I feel relieved for not having this necessity of being online 24/7.

References

Additional reading

• Facebook bought WhatsApp: https://blog.whatsapp.com/facebook
• The EU-US Privacy Shield: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU%E2%80%93US_Privacy_Shield
• Facebook is down, but is it out? https://medium.com/enrique-dans/facebook-is-down-but-is-it-out-19f8be48c217

Facebook legal battles:

• The Wall Street Journal dossier: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-does-the-law-protect-her-11633453696
• Facebook whistleblower alleges executives misled investors about climate, covid hoaxes in new SEC complaint: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/18/whistleblower-facebook-sec-climate-change/
• Texas Sues Meta Over Facebook’s Facial-Recognition Practices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-sues-meta-over-facebooks-facial-recognition-practices-11644854794
• Meta, Google Face Data Doomsday as Key EU Decision Looms: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-18/meta-google-face-eu-data-blackout-as-ruling-on-contracts-looms

Images:

• https://www.gadgetgyani.com/whatsapp-banned-in-china/
• https://browntastic.weebly.com/download-whatsapp-for-android-mobile-latest-version.html
• https://www.informatique-mania.com/en/reseaux-sociaux/3-choses-que-vous-ne-pouvez-plus-faire-sur-whatsapp-si-vous-nacceptez-pas-vos-nouvelles-conditions-le-15-mai/
• http://www.jovitel.com/facebook-compra-whatsapp/
• https://aaimea.org/courses/critical-thinking-skills/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9VHCB6sWDg