I hate how my country (Brazil) depends so much on Whatsapp. If I could, I would uninstall that app immediately.
this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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Explains why I've started seeing ads for WhatsApp, which was really bizarre
@MazonnaCara89 The country I live in (Brazil) overly uses and depends on WhatsApp. From government departments to businesses and transactional relations, all the way to social and family affairs, people is addicted to it, forcing other people (e.g. me) to either have a WhatsApp account or ending up far beyond mere social ostracism (beyond mere loneliness): effectively, the inability to buy, sell, rent or even resolve citizen matters with certain government/state departments (such as receiving medical appointment schedules from Brazilian's public health system (Sistema Unico de Saude/SUS (Unified Health System) via their "postinhos"/"Unidades Basicas de Saude" (neighborhood public health centers)). They don't even use the grand old phone calling and SMS anymore: even "calls", when performed, are made by people/departments/businesses via Whatsapp VoIP functionality.
That said, it's worth mentioning that WhatsApp has been running ads for a long time: the "Channels" section lists seemingly random "channels", many of which are businesses with "verified" "blue badges". So it's effectively advertisement disguised as veiled "recommendations" from Meta. It seems like it'll just become worse (to the surprise of no one who understands what Meta is).
I really want to leave WhatsApp, but I'm socially compelled to stay (it's the only mainstream platform where I still have an account, against my will)... the raw, grotesque distillation from social compliance, worse than depicted in Derren Brown's documentaries...
jesus that some dystopian shit
i use none of these features.
i'm glad they are not as invasive as i tought, but they will definetly be making them worse over time.
LET THE ENSHITTIFICATION BEGIN!
Begin? 🤔🤔🤔
What year is this?
2025!
You mean WhatsCrap?
OH whatsSNAP
Never used it for personal ends. But I'm curious to see if all the companies using as a work tool will divert from it.
Signal.
And IF I learn how to run Jammi, it will be my default communication application.
I think you mean Jami (single m).
It's a nice concept but I'll try to get my xmmp server nice and secured.
I stand corrected.
the channels you follow
I knew they would use that info for targeted advertising
It's Facebook 101, let the users themselves tell you what they like
People are going to use whatever the majority use.
I need to ude WhatsApp when i travel to countries egere it's widely adopted. Just like I need tocuse Facebook if I want to partake in group chats with friends.
They're just too big. How is anything else supposed to take off? Just gradually maybe.
So maybe Signal will get there in a few years? What's itd adoption rate since it was created?
It's a slow grind for adoption. I've had Signal installed on my phone since like 2016. Went from one person I knew to now about ~30. It's mostly people from work at tech companies but progressively I've noticed other industries employees adopting it for unofficial chat that my contacts list has been growing over the years. Probably won't take off in a few years. Maybe another decade
Family chatgroup, signal Work chatgroup, signal Half of my friends, signal
Won't be very long until I remove whatsapp from my phone. That one friend that doesn't want to switch, call me I guess..
That's the main reason Signal uses phone numbers for verification.
That way you can see which of your contact can be reached on their platform.
I slowly diverted from WhatsApp to Signal in that way. I also have it in my WhatsApp bio: ''You can reach me on Signal. Come on over, it'll be fun''
Gradually is the answer. You can dual use both Signal and Whatsapp. Same how you can use Lemmy and Facebook and are not limited to one sociale media app.
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