Yeah, this is one of the reasons why I'd be pro splitting up Whatsapp and Facebook/Insta. I don't really follow the monopoly rules, so don't really know when it might be crossing that line. I guess the EU review of these firms will tell us.

Yes me too. I’d be happy to pay for WhatsApp if I had an option to, instead of sharing my data with Facebook.

It’s almost like I’m compromising my most personal data for access to essential services and don’t know whether we can call the customer a “king” in this scenario.

At least people will hopefully learn the lesson: promoting un-federated services using closed software will always lead to people getting very hurt no matter how nice the company behind them is.

Interestingly here in Germany you can live in your whatsapp free bubble easily...until you get a child. Everyone I know gave up at this point (at least one parent).

Same in the Netherlands, School WA group, Class WA group (for both children), Sport WA groups (for both children), Children's birthdays WA groups, Family WA groups, Neighborhood WA groups (oh yes, we see this in many streets: [0])

[0]: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=whatsapp+buurtpreventie&t=ffsb&iax...

Ah well, here in my country post pandemic almost everything runs on WhatsApp.

From Assignments being shared by teachers on school classroom groups to now payments via WhatsApp.

Why is that? Children are not permitted to use WhatsApp?

Technically nobody is because it forces you to share your contacts' data.

Technicality aside no, the issue is that it forces you to use it.