![]() ![]() “Signal is currently the best alternative we recommend in terms of reach, security, and privacy-enabled features,” Harold Li, vice president of ExpressVPN, points out. With all these factors working together, people have realized it’s not a good idea to put all their eggs in one basket, Ting says. Users who have limited access to the internet and smartphone can’t be reached through apps like WhatsApp, says Derek Ting, co-founder and CEO of TextNow, a service that offers free calling and texting on any device without the need for another person to have the same app installed. So even if there are serious security concerns in using WhatsApp, ultimately, users may be forced to choose the app anyway, simply because most of their family members and friends are available there.įinally, despite its popularity, the app doesn’t cover everyone. While people are open to alternatives, not everyone has made the switch to other messaging apps. Viber, Telegram, Wire, Discord, and Skype are other options users are considering. ![]() “ don’t have the spread WhatsApp does, so they can’t functionally replace WhatsApp’s communication power just yet.” For instance, apps like Telegram and Signal still have a smaller user base. On the other hand, experts like Jackie Leavitt, chief editor of Cloudwards, an online publication on cloud-based technology, believe dumping the app may be difficult as it’s free and nearly everyone around the world uses it. “In short, your privacy is silently being invaded.” “ Facebook (Meta) may not be consistently reading the contents of your messages - but they know other sensitive bits of information (metadata) such as who you are, who you talk to, which devices you and your devices communicate with, the time you sent the message, and from where you sent the message,” Simmons says. ![]() Simmons believes the time to dump WhatsApp was back in 2014 when Facebook acquired it. Should users really consider leaving the app? Do suitable alternatives exist? We asked technology, social media, and privacy experts. Today, WhatsApp still has more than 2 billion active users, but discussions about dumping the app for another, potentially more secure messaging service are still going online. “It requires data sharing with Facebook, doesn’t offer encryption for chat backups, and ‘mines’ the metadata of your messages.” Youssef Sarhan/Unsplashįor instance, a WhatsApp blog post published in 2016 reads, “And by connecting your phone number with Facebook’s systems, Facebook can offer better friend suggestions and show you more relevant ads if you have an account with them.”Īfter concerns like this garnered public attention, WhatsApp came forward with various clarifications, but by then, a lot of users had already started looking for alternatives like Telegram and Signal. “WhatsApp privacy policy is terrible for user privacy,” says Ashley Simmons, founder of avoidthehack!, a website that promotes online privacy and security awareness. Show 1 more item Fears about user privacy ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |