I see a lot of people saying it’s time to switch to Signal, and I mean I agree in principle, it’s my main messaging app, but I don’t see how it can scale. It runs off of donations and the only reason it’s still functioning is because the users that are there are above averagely passionate about it and willing to donate. If it became the defacto messaging app I fear that there is no way they would be capable of financing that level of traffic.
WhatsApp is officially getting ads
Submitted 1 day ago by MazonnaCara89@lemmy.ml to technology@lemmy.world
https://www.theverge.com/news/687519/whatsapp-launch-advertising-status-updates
Comments
Redex68@lemmy.world 6 hours ago
SheenSquelcher@lemm.ee 2 hours ago
I’d probably still use it if I had to pay for it
Redex68@lemmy.world 2 hours ago
I mean, there are some who will be willing to do that, but the vast majority of average people won’t pay for something if a free version exists (like WhatsApp)
espentan@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Uninstalled.
Luckily I/people I interact with never used it much.
Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip 1 day ago
Glad I got out when I did
SieYaku@chachara.club 1 day ago
Me too… I just did it and feels better and better with every actualization that’s showing up…
drmoose@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
I wonder whether Meta will try to lock down cross platform access now.
Currently Beeper still works everywhere and ED’S DMA (Digital Markets Act) still has WhatsApp as gate keeper which is required to interpolate with other chat apps. However “WhatsApp stories” are entirely different from chat so that means they can block all of that and this is probably how Meta will approach future WhatsApp updates - more shit to lock people in WhatsApp that isnt directly chat related.
SieYaku@chachara.club 1 day ago
For my the best choose is XMPP… More choices, federated, simple and very secure with Omemo. You don’t have the security issues like you do in WhatsApp, Telegram or Matrix (who’s principal server is in economic problems matrix.org). And Signal… Well it’s a long journey and can take very bad turns cause is private and has big ties with the US and big corp, still is and option and you can use the fork Molly.
Broken@lemmy.ml 1 day ago
Out of curiosity, do you use your xmpp app for SMS as well? I’ve been doing so (since the majority of my family will not leave the SMS messaging system) but its a bit lacking when it comes to groups and MMS.
SieYaku@chachara.club 20 hours ago
Was don’t know that was possible! So… No I don’t use it that way. But now I’m interested in explore it. Thanks!
Opinionhaver@feddit.uk 20 hours ago
Seems like I’m not in the target audience for these ads. I have absolutely zero clue what any of the things mentioned above are. I use WhatsApp to send messages.
Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 23 hours ago
through its Stories-like status feature.
Eh, I’ve only seen it because of a misclick
ieatpwns@lemmy.world 1 day ago
That must be the reason they’ve been putting out more ads about chats being secure between both chatters. A misdirection so they can personalize your ads to your conversations
mazzilius_marsti@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
These ads on messaging services are out of control
so… back to owl mail then?
mrodri89@lemmy.zip 23 hours ago
Damn first Telegram put a paywall to blocking non contacts and now this.
Shit, maybe we just gotta go iPhone to get easy encryption on messages. Rcs is kinda booty.
Fluxxr@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 hours ago
I get downvoted to hell for years and years every time I defend iMessage. It’s such a nice experience and I get to communicate in a very multimedia way, using custom stickers and having it send animated handwriting when I write with my pencil on iPad. I get the platform limitation sucks, but it’s a better experience than WhatsApp or telegram or messenger ever was imo.
ohwhatfollyisman@lemmy.world 21 hours ago
whatsapp-free since 2023!
t_berium@lemmy.world 10 hours ago
Looks like I need an alternative. An alternative for which there is still no prospect of enshitification. Which services are neither American, Chinese nor Russian? Anything from Europe?
teolan@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
Signal is American but run by a non profit so it can’t be sold and is open source under GPL3 without a CLA from what I can see so it’s unlikely they would ever go closed source.
j0ester@lemmy.world 4 hours ago
You may also get invited to a US military intelligence chat too. Bonus!
LettyWhiterock@lemmy.world 13 hours ago
What app?
Really though, what was the main use for this kind of chat app? Genuinely since I assume there is one, I just don’t know it since I never had a reason to use it. Was it encrypted? Cause I get using specifically encrypted messaging systems, but if it’s not, was it that good of an option over other chat apps?
vaionko@sopuli.xyz 12 hours ago
It was SMS, but better. It has been the message platform of choice for pretty much everyone in my country for well over a decade, not as many options existed back then.
tzrlk@lemmy.world 11 hours ago
I hate how every single messaging app with SMS integration eventually drops it, sending me back to whatever stock bullshit came with my phone.
swarfega@feddit.uk 9 hours ago
In the UK. SMS were not free to send. In fact, MMS are still not free to send today. This is what WhatsApp solved, instant messaging that uses your data and alas has no additional costs.
Popularity grew, which is why Meta purchased it, and we are now where we are today.
pinesolcario@lemy.lol 13 hours ago
Considering the zero byte article using anything from Meta is a FAFO moment.
naeap@sopuli.xyz 1 day ago
adding that it won’t use your messages, calls, or groups to inform its ads.
I thought they used some E2E implemented for them by the Signal team.
Have they already butchered it completely?Zak@lemmy.world 1 day ago
I don’t think any evidence has come to light that WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption of message contents is broken, but it’s also impossible to prove that it is correct because the client is not open source.
RedWheelbarrow@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Ahh meta!!! Sighs.
cheese_greater@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Signal doesnt have ads…