Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by arzmir on Thursday April 14, 2022 @11:20AM
(#31028101)
> We have a WhatsApp group where they can ask whether something is dodgy. They don't use it for chitchat, so anything that comes through, I treat urgently.
I really like that idea.
Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by acwan93 on Thursday April 14, 2022 @12:08PM
(#31028842)
Until an older relative uses that same group for something completely unrelated.
Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by BrandoElFollito on Thursday April 14, 2022 @12:54PM
(#31029616)
This actually happened to me and I gave up. I support them through every channel now and the family whatsapp chat is a messy, happy heap of everything.
Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by blowski on Thursday April 14, 2022 @03:19PM
(#31031990)
We have a separate chat group for that. It doesn’t work perfectly but it does work well enough.
Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by ale42 on Thursday April 14, 2022 @11:37AM
(#31028347)
Considering the privacy issues related to Whatsapp handling of personal data (e.g. contact info sent to Meta servers, message metadata collection, etc.), why not using Signal, Matrix, or something alike? Or is it too difficult for them to use something else than Whatsapp?
Re:Ask HN: Do you manage your family's digital safety?
by crowbahr on Thursday April 14, 2022 @11:40AM
(#31028385)
Not OP but they're likely using Whatsapp already.
I'm a big believer in Signal (I have a monthly contribution set up) but Whatsapp is far more common for most people to use.
I have convinced my older parents and siblings to all use Signal though, so I consider that a win.
I did the same thing as in the office - embarrassed or annoyed them (in a small way) by using their lack of security. I changed desktop backgrounds, "stole" £20, sent emails with promises like "I'll wash your car" to people. I'd follow this up with a lecture on "if I can do this, imagine what some dodgy foreign hacker could do".
Constructively, I pay for the whole family's 1Password and Fastmail accounts. I am the admin. I'm patient and understanding when they do something wrong. And I limit the number of people I help to those I can really help.
We have a WhatsApp group where they can ask whether something is dodgy. They don't use it for chitchat, so anything that comes through, I treat urgently.