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Greg from Twilio here. Totally understand your concern -- no one wants more spam. WhatsApp currently requires that brands using this API collect explicit opt-i

Greg from Twilio here. Totally understand your concern -- no one wants more spam. WhatsApp currently requires that brands using this API collect explicit opt-in from users prior to messaging them, and also that they also use pre-approved message templates to reach out to customers. Free-form messages can only be sent if the user replies back, and then only for 24 hours. Curious, why'd you stop using WhatsApp?

zamalek 8y ago
> Curious, why'd you stop using WhatsApp? I assume Facebook. I'm trying to get everyone I know off of it for that reason. Have you considered Signal or Telegram as additional integrations?
- Calvin02 8y ago
  Telegram has security issues [0]. WhatsApp and Signal both use the Signal protocol [1]. [0] https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-stop-using-telegram-right-now-1782557415 https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-stop-using-telegram-right... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Protocol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Protocol
- gregorymichael 8y ago
  Both of those are great channels (I personally use Signal), but we have nothing to announce.
  - elevation 8y ago
    I use twilio to send myself SMS notifications programmatically, such as when a multi-hour compilation completes, when DNS for a particular domain has propagated, or when my crawler detects that a new job had been posted to a local company's website. These notifications make my life easier, but my privacy isn't protected with SMS. I would much prefer to have these messages delivered over signal than over SMS. I hope twilio will also consider signal messenger integration in the future.
    - greenbush 8y ago
      I use Telegram for this. They have an easy API and my servers can send me unlimited messages for free.
- bigiain 8y ago
  I share _wmd's concerns here. The _last_ thing I want is to be "contacted by brands" on Signal. And while I know I can manage _my_ experience with Signal, I don't want Signal to become a place where my friends avoid because it turns into a cesspit of "brand engagement" like so many other services... (Which sucks a bit for WhisperSystems since I'm not paying them, and I don't want them to take money off Pepsi/TMobile/McDonalds in return for "access to me" either...)
  - zamalek 8y ago
    Very good point. I haven't actually used WeChat, but so far as I know you have to explicitly opt-in by adding the brand as a contact. There are valid non-spam use-cases (e.g. Amazon order updates) and it would be an unobtrusive monetization strategy.
_wmd 8y ago
I think you maybe missed the idea in my original comment -- opening up the platform to business and marketing in any of its guises whatsoever causes the dilution.. as is so often repeated, tech can't solve social problems, and I really have no interest in allowing marketing to invade my social space. Any rules can/will be gamed, reinterpreted and twisted such that the end result is the always same -- I'm notified by a human-contact medium of a supposed human-contact that was actually a sales or marketing ping. I don't want that, nobody does. Re: leaving WhatsApp, I just decided I didn't need it. People can voice call if it's urgent, for everything else I'll see it eventually. There was no gap in my life needing filled by an instant-response chat app with instant-online-status and instant-typing-notifications, I just came to find it all generally annoying
- StudentStuff 8y ago
  For some of my clients (Medical Practices & Plumbers) being able to send appointment reminders via text has been a huge improvement in their workflow. Their customers get timely information without interrupting their day, about the only thing missing is a secure delivery medium. We've explored Signal & Whatsapp integration, but I think we're still a few years off from anything taking off.
bikamonki 8y ago
> collect explicit opt-in Isn't this the biggest lie in the bulk messaging industry?
- GFischer 8y ago
  Maybe for bad actors. I work for an U.S. company and we were explicitly required to get opt-in by the compliance officer. And it's messages users actually want to get (we have over 99.9% opt-in).
sberder 8y ago
That sounds extremely similar to wechat appart from the opt-in being managed in wechat itself. A lot of other limitations exist on wechat to limit brand creeps, limit number of push messages a day, pack brand accounts under a dedicated simili user fold and more. If you guys are curious about a platform with good private / branding integration as to brands creeping in your private circles .
fipple 8y ago
Small comfort. The bar for explicit opt in is very easy to dupe someone into. I know, it happened to me, and I’m a power user.

zamalek 8y ago

> Curious, why'd you stop using WhatsApp? I assume Facebook. I'm trying to get everyone I know off of it for that reason. Have you considered Signal or Telegram as additional integrations?

Calvin02 8y ago
Telegram has security issues [0]. WhatsApp and Signal both use the Signal protocol [1]. [0] https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-stop-using-telegram-right-now-1782557415 https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-stop-using-telegram-right... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Protocol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Protocol
gregorymichael 8y ago
Both of those are great channels (I personally use Signal), but we have nothing to announce.
- elevation 8y ago
  I use twilio to send myself SMS notifications programmatically, such as when a multi-hour compilation completes, when DNS for a particular domain has propagated, or when my crawler detects that a new job had been posted to a local company's website. These notifications make my life easier, but my privacy isn't protected with SMS. I would much prefer to have these messages delivered over signal than over SMS. I hope twilio will also consider signal messenger integration in the future.
  - greenbush 8y ago
    I use Telegram for this. They have an easy API and my servers can send me unlimited messages for free.
bigiain 8y ago
I share _wmd's concerns here. The _last_ thing I want is to be "contacted by brands" on Signal. And while I know I can manage _my_ experience with Signal, I don't want Signal to become a place where my friends avoid because it turns into a cesspit of "brand engagement" like so many other services... (Which sucks a bit for WhisperSystems since I'm not paying them, and I don't want them to take money off Pepsi/TMobile/McDonalds in return for "access to me" either...)
- zamalek 8y ago
  Very good point. I haven't actually used WeChat, but so far as I know you have to explicitly opt-in by adding the brand as a contact. There are valid non-spam use-cases (e.g. Amazon order updates) and it would be an unobtrusive monetization strategy.

_wmd 8y ago

I think you maybe missed the idea in my original comment -- opening up the platform to business and marketing in any of its guises whatsoever causes the dilution.. as is so often repeated, tech can't solve social problems, and I really have no interest in allowing marketing to invade my social space. Any rules can/will be gamed, reinterpreted and twisted such that the end result is the always same -- I'm notified by a human-contact medium of a supposed human-contact that was actually a sales or marketing ping. I don't want that, nobody does. Re: leaving WhatsApp, I just decided I didn't need it. People can voice call if it's urgent, for everything else I'll see it eventually. There was no gap in my life needing filled by an instant-response chat app with instant-online-status and instant-typing-notifications, I just came to find it all generally annoying

StudentStuff 8y ago
For some of my clients (Medical Practices & Plumbers) being able to send appointment reminders via text has been a huge improvement in their workflow. Their customers get timely information without interrupting their day, about the only thing missing is a secure delivery medium. We've explored Signal & Whatsapp integration, but I think we're still a few years off from anything taking off.

bikamonki 8y ago

> collect explicit opt-in Isn't this the biggest lie in the bulk messaging industry?

GFischer 8y ago
Maybe for bad actors. I work for an U.S. company and we were explicitly required to get opt-in by the compliance officer. And it's messages users actually want to get (we have over 99.9% opt-in).

sberder 8y ago

That sounds extremely similar to wechat appart from the opt-in being managed in wechat itself. A lot of other limitations exist on wechat to limit brand creeps, limit number of push messages a day, pack brand accounts under a dedicated simili user fold and more. If you guys are curious about a platform with good private / branding integration as to brands creeping in your private circles .

fipple 8y ago

Small comfort. The bar for explicit opt in is very easy to dupe someone into. I know, it happened to me, and I’m a power user.