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Is there some aspect of WhatsApp that I'm missing? The way I use it, it is purely a messaging app. No different than text messages really. How does this get lum

by imgabe 6y ago

Is there some aspect of WhatsApp that I'm missing? The way I use it, it is purely a messaging app. No different than text messages really. How does this get lumped in with Facebook and Instagram? (other than being owned by the same company).

mandelbrotwurst 6y ago
I think it's mostly that it's easier and more common to make larger groups, which then inevitably end up being a lot noisier.
weston 6y ago
I think OP is deleting WhatsApp because Facebook is the parent company. But I agree, WhatsApp is not a social network site but a messaging tool.
- bigbugbag 6y ago
  A messaging tool is by definition a social network.
- shog_hn 6y ago
  That's it. The clincher for me was when they announced that they would be starting to share user data from WhatsApp with parent company Facebook for ad targeting purposes.
bigbugbag 6y ago
Yes. you are missing the part where it's used for surveillance, for collecting personal data and exploiting it, for giving a false sense of security, and so on. Basically facebook being facebook and doing facebook things to the people that were escaping its grasp.
- lsh123 6y ago
  Citation needed.
  - Shared404 6y ago
    Here you go, sorry for TechCrunch link: https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/25/whatsapp-to-share-user-data-with-facebook-for-ad-targeting-heres-how-to-opt-out/ https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/25/whatsapp-to-share-user-dat... edit: Here's some better links from @bigbugbag down below: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhatsApp_snooping_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhatsApp_snooping_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_and_criticism_of_WhatsApp_security_and_privacy_features https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reception_and_criticism_of_Wha...