WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram

Lord Emsworth
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WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 28, 2021 15:23:19 GMT

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Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 28, 2021 15:23:19 GMT

Anyone use it and concerned about their new privacy policy?

I’ve decided to delete WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger and Instagram. The new WhatsApp privacy policy announcement was the final straw.

My only non-text messaging service will be Signal which is like WhatsApp but without the privacy concerns.

I don’t trust any product made by Facebook. Their business model is surveillance after all

When Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014, it promised to keep the two services separate. A few years later Facebook announced aims to integrate the messaging systems of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

In early January 2021 FB announced a new privacy policy that users had to agree to sharing information with Facebook if they want to keep WhatsApp. The new policy states data can be shared with other Facebook companies to show personalised advertising and offers, make suggestions for content, and "help" to complete purchases, among other reasons. The legal restrictions are tighter in Europe so might not amount to anything significant here, but on top of the revelations in The Great Hack (about Cambridge Analytica) it reminded me how FB just cannot be trusted.

I think the non-profit, open-source nature of Signal is one of its strongest attributes at a time when we allow more and more of our personal data to be collected by large corporations that have consistently shown us that they can't be trusted. Signal is the kind of project that can only benefit its users, and I've love to see the non-profit, donation-based operating model spread to other online services in the future.

What about you?

WhatsApp loses MILLIONS of users to rivals Telegram and Signal amid fears of increased data sharing with Facebook (sorry Daily Mail link)...

www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9183553/WhatsApp-loses-MILLIONS-users-rivals-Telegram-Signal-ahead-privacy-policy-update.html

Is it time to leave WhatsApp – and is Signal the answer?...

www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jan/24/is-it-time-to-leave-whatsapp-and-is-signal-the-answer

Last Edit: Jan 28, 2021 17:15:59 GMT by Lord Emsworth

The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

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WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 28, 2021 15:29:13 GMT smogquixote likes this

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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2021 15:29:13 GMT

Yes, this is the only social media app I use and thats very rare.

Truth to be told the only reason I use it is because it's cheap to send memes, graphics, photos etc.

I'm well aware of these changes.

Facebook has always been a pile of shite and the only time I really use my phone is to contribute to TP.

personunknown
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Posts: 3,035

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 28, 2021 16:31:51 GMT

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Post by personunknown on Jan 28, 2021 16:31:51 GMT

No idea what WhatsApp is to be honest. I use Facebook for the business to advertise the shop, gigs and record fairs, it's the only social media that works to get the word out to as many as possible. The business page used to be stand alone but a few years back they changed their policy and I had to have a main personal page (not my real name though) as well with 'friends',cue the bombardment of pictures of cats, dinners, holidays etc. I've blocked most of those people but you only have to show the slightest interest in a subject and you are bombarded with adverts in a similar vein.

Maybe the business argument doesn't stand up though, my friend runs a Goth/Alternative clothes shop in Scarborough. She doesn't have a PC, smartphone, tablet etc just a pay as you go standard mobile, her business runs just fine.

Deleted
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WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 28, 2021 16:38:54 GMT

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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2021 16:38:54 GMT

I can understand it for promoting a business but lets be honest FB is just a gift for nosey bastards.

WhatsApp is basically a messaging app primarily and can't be viewed by any old nosey curtain switcher.

Its ideal if you want to send photos, memes, graphics etc as it costs nowt.

Last Edit: Jan 28, 2021 16:39:40 GMT by Deleted

Lord Emsworth
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Posts: 15,700

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 28, 2021 17:14:00 GMT

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Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 28, 2021 17:14:00 GMT

I may set up a new FB accout with an anonymous email address using a VPN proxy just to access the business stuff on there - I'll see how I go once I've totally quit. That said, I'm not sure that I will ever need/want to access FB ever again

Rogue is right about WhatsApp - total encryption from end to end, so much more secure than regular messaging, and you can set up groups which is really handy for shared messages but it is part of FB who harvest yer data and sell it on

Under the new privacy policy FB will be able to access message metadata, including the numbers in your WhatsApp contact list and how often you interact with them in order to continue using the app. Other data that could be shared with FB includes your IP address, browser details, language and time zone. Fuk dat.

Signal has all of the WhatsApp benefits but none of the privacy issues

The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

zeopold God Posts: 3,375	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 29, 2021 14:01:25 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by zeopold on Jan 29, 2021 14:01:25 GMT I stopped FB and Twitter a couple of years ago due to privacy concerns, will prolly stop WhatsApp now cos of this latest development
	'King of the anarchists'

Lord Emsworth
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WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 29, 2021 15:06:39 GMT smogquixote likes this

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Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 29, 2021 15:06:39 GMT

Jan 29, 2021 14:01:25 GMT zeopold said:

I stopped FB and Twitter a couple of years ago due to privacy concerns, will prolly stop WhatsApp now cos of this latest development

I've been using Signal for a few days now and the numbers of people I know who have signed up is heartening

This new policy could be a wake up call for many

The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 29, 2021 15:22:30 GMT Lord Emsworth likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2021 15:22:30 GMT I regularly read a couple of music related Twitter accounts and a local community FB account but I don't have my own account with any of them for reasons of privacy.

smogquixote
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Posts: 1,154

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 29, 2021 19:25:10 GMT via mobile

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Post by smogquixote on Jan 29, 2021 19:25:10 GMT

I actually rarely use WhatsApp but it’s all very concerning. Telegram is a good one as well, it used to be drug dealers, nazis and pedos using it but I’ve seen a few heads I know using it now. Wickr is more of the same as well.

Lord Emsworth Administrator Posts: 15,700	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Jan 29, 2021 20:22:54 GMT smogquixote likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 29, 2021 20:22:54 GMT Signal seems to be the one. Not for profit. End to end encryption. Minimal data held by the company.
	The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

jsm God Posts: 2,411	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Feb 19, 2021 2:11:11 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by jsm on Feb 19, 2021 2:11:11 GMT People going spastic in Australia because Facebook has banned all external news content (print, TV etc) in response to a govt plan to make Facebook pay for using it. Can't people look at the bloody news elsewhere?

Lord Emsworth
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Posts: 15,700

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Feb 19, 2021 8:15:34 GMT

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Post by Lord Emsworth on Feb 19, 2021 8:15:34 GMT

Feb 19, 2021 2:11:11 GMT jsm said:

People going spastic in Australia because Facebook has banned all external news content (print, TV etc) in response to a govt plan to make Facebook pay for using it. Can't people look at the bloody news elsewhere?

Yeah - that's a big story here too

Part of an attempt to curtail fake news by FB

I have been Zuckerberg free for a few weeks now - deleted FB, Instagram and WhatsApp and barely thought about it since

The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Feb 19, 2021 12:55:46 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2021 12:55:46 GMT Facebook is for the living dead. It's just for nosey, lazy people.

Lord Emsworth
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Posts: 15,700

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Feb 19, 2021 14:14:21 GMT

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Post by Lord Emsworth on Feb 19, 2021 14:14:21 GMT

Feb 19, 2021 12:55:46 GMT @roguepunk said:

Facebook is for the living dead.

It's just for nosey, lazy people.

I wouldn't be quite so quick to condemn FB users - there are a lot of positive, community based reasons to use it

The big downside is that they cannot be trusted - that should be a deal breaker for anyone who thinks about it

The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0	WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram Feb 19, 2021 18:45:18 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2021 18:45:18 GMT I personally don't see the attraction myself spending innumerable hours sitting in front of a phone. I prefer real people and real experiences.

TalkPunk

WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram

Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 28, 2021 15:23:19 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2021 15:29:13 GMT

Post by personunknown on Jan 28, 2021 16:31:51 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2021 16:38:54 GMT

Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 28, 2021 17:14:00 GMT

Post by zeopold on Jan 29, 2021 14:01:25 GMT

Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 29, 2021 15:06:39 GMT

Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2021 15:22:30 GMT

Post by smogquixote on Jan 29, 2021 19:25:10 GMT

Post by Lord Emsworth on Jan 29, 2021 20:22:54 GMT

Post by jsm on Feb 19, 2021 2:11:11 GMT

Post by Lord Emsworth on Feb 19, 2021 8:15:34 GMT

Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2021 12:55:46 GMT

Post by Lord Emsworth on Feb 19, 2021 14:14:21 GMT

Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2021 18:45:18 GMT

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