WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using app

Re:WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebo... by webmobdev on Wednesday January 06, 2021 @09:48PM (#25666680)

I don't use any of the private and popular messaging apps on my phone and do rely on SMS and phone calls to stay in touch. But there are limitations:

- SMS is not encrypted.

- SMS supports text only. MMS is not well supported, and often not free.

- SMS is sometimes not as "instant" as it can be delayed.

- Delivery reports and, read receipts are not user-friendly, and maybe unreliable, too.

- Group SMS support depends on your default SMS app.

RCS or Rich Communication Service on 4g and 5g looks to fix this, but support and compatibility between network is still lacking. Privacy laws also need a reevaluation as even cellular providers are looking to data harvesting to make more money and RCS may also lack encryption support.

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Re:WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebo... by kyrra on Thursday January 07, 2021 @01:00AM (#25667743)

FYI, Google has a working end-to-end encryption with RCS.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/19/21574451/android-rcs-enc...

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Re:WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebo... by webmobdev on Thursday January 07, 2021 @03:02AM (#25668503)

Thanks for sharing this, good to know. But in the context of this discussion, it is kind of bad news. Those who avoid WhatsApp (and other messengers) do so because they don't want to trapped within it - SMS and RCS promises us more mobility and privacy because it is a standardised technology that works with all cellular service providers. Using a Google app for RCS, instead of WhatsApp, will just trap you within Google ecosystem, instead of Facebook.

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