Installing whatsapp was a "wtf" moment. Degoogle but leave meta in your life?

I know that it's driven in other people's communications modalities.

WhatsApp has replaced the PSTN in many countries. Without it, you cannot contact businesses; they simply do not answer normal phone calls. Also, booking accommodation over the internet may require WhatsApp in order to receive self-check-in information, and if you manage to communicate to the accommodation that you don’t have WhatsApp, it may simply cancel your reservation unilaterally.

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graemep 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Even where its not required, it can be a lot cheaper (e.g. for international calls) and has features (conference calls) not offered by consumer phones.

Whatsapp's success has partly been driven by telecoms companies over-charging.

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jmpman 10 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

I recently made a phone call from the US to UK. I was horrified to find that my unlimited calling didn't apply to that international route. Really?!? Countries should be fighting to remove those fees. I can call Mexico or Canada without any additional cost, so it can be done. I'd originally proposed starting a business with the UK gentleman, but this is likely the first of many regulations which will tax me.

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thisislife2 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Telecoms financed and built the communication infrastructure which made the internet (and thus, WhatsApp) possible. WhatsApp is also further subsidised because you also pay for the internet to use it.

	▲	graemep 3 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I pay for an internet connection anyway. Even if I use a pay as you go mobile connection (on which the telco makes a profit) its still a lot cheaper to use Whatsapp than either SMS or voice calls. There is no subsidy, its telecoms companies making a ridiculously high margin (aimed by regulators in some countries) on some services.

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kgwxd an hour ago | parent | prev [-]

There are thousands, maybe millions, of alternatives to Whatsapp for that purpose.

	▲	Rygian 13 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		It's way too late for alternatives now, unless regulation is created to break the monopoly.

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hamburgererror 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Honestly I understand OP, I also run GrapheneOS but most of my social life happens on whatsapp and I know it's stupid but I can't change dozens of people's choice to install Signal, even though most of them know the issues with Meta.

My hope is that one day or another whatsapp will enshittify so bad that people will be more prone to move to Signal in the same way that recently Windows got so bad that many users moved to Linux.

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LoganDark 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

I feel like going with LineageOS rather than GrapheneOS for WhatsApp would be a mistake since GrapheneOS has much stronger sandboxing.