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This has never happened to me, probably because I don't install the Facebook app and don't give Messenger Lite access to my contacts. If Facebook and Whatsapp w

This has never happened to me, probably because I don't install the Facebook app and don't give Messenger Lite access to my contacts. If Facebook and Whatsapp were sharing phone numbers or metadata behind the scenes I would expect to see a lot of suggestions when I log in to the Facebook website, but I don't. Still agree with your opinion, though. Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts.

csunbird 6y ago
But your contacts do install the apps and Facebook can now match you.
osobo 6y ago
They don't as much share info as live off the same ecosystem in your phone. Regular users, who don't actively block their FB apps from accessing their phones in depth, will store Whatsapp contacts on their phones, which in turn are read by the FB and/or Messenger app. Since neither knows the context, it just assumes its a new contact and show you info accordingly.
AlexandrB 6y ago
> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. Is this a new limitation? On iOS I'm still able to message someone new using only their phone number. Though I'm blocking contact access so perhaps that's why.
dijksterhuis 6y ago
> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. You can, if you're both part of a group chat together. Tap on their number and a pop up comes up allowing you to message said person. Also agree with the opinions expressed even with similar experience to yourself (no Facebook or messenger apps installed, WhatsApp contacts don't appear as suggestions on FB website).
- chippytea 6y ago
  There are also third party apps like "Click to Chat" that let you start conversations with phone numbers. Once you sent 1 message you can just use whatsapp normally.
whywhywhywhy 6y ago
>I don't install the Facebook app and don't give Messenger Lite access to my contacts Literally doesn't matter what you do, it's what other people do with your data. I can tell from this guy I interned for 15 years ago that at one point he uploaded his entire address book to Facebook including my name, email and phone number because he still shows up in facebook recommendations to me today on Facebook and IG. Never gave them access to my contacts either or even had him in my contacts but FB's shadow profile knows he knows who I am.
juliand 6y ago
> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. The trick that i use is to type their number into the domain wa.me in the following format https://wa.me/xxxxxxxxxxx https://wa.me/xxxxxxxxxxx That allows you to open a chat to that specific number without adding them to your contact list.
- tmp538394722 6y ago
  That’s a neat trick, but “Works for me” is not a solution for mass surveillance.
kace91 6y ago
I don't use their apps. They are almost certainly sharing data behind the scenes, they openly say this in op's link about how WhatsApp uses your data: > improving their services and your experiences using them, such as making suggestions for you (for example, of friends or group connections, or of interesting content), (...) across the Facebook Company Products; There is a small chance that they've gotten all my data from the people at the other side of the conversation if they have the fb app installed I guess, which really isn't much better.
dearjames 6y ago
You can actually send a message without saving a contact. Using WhatsApp's click to chat: wa.me/263xxxxxxxxx?text=Hello Note: The phone number with country code and no preceding plus. Opening that link will launch WhatsApp (or WhatsApp web) to the user's number and the text "Hello" in the message field.
- dijksterhuis 6y ago
  Doesnt seems to work for me. Get directed to a page saying I don't have WhatsApp installed (I do). Android v8, Firefox v68.6.
  - ffpip 6y ago
    That is because you are opening in browser. You have to set wa.me links to open in app. Open firefox settings, toggle 'open links in app'. (or) Open a chat with yourself in whatsapp. https://wa.me/your-number https://wa.me/your-number . You can spam anything here, it's personal and only you can see it. They send wa.me/number-of-person-you-are-contacting in that chat. Click on it and it will start a chat with person-you-are-contacting. All numbers MUST be in international format. Country code and number.
    - dijksterhuis 6y ago
      Reminds me of https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/
- londons_explore 6y ago
  On Chrome Desktop Linux, it doesn't work despite me being logged into whatsapp web. Tries to do some xdg-open thing, but clearly that will never work considering whatsapp web has no registered protocol handlers... Looks like it is some half completed demo integration rather than production ready...
  - ffpip 6y ago
    Send the link to yourself in whatsapp and then click on it. Open a chat with yourself in whatsapp. https://wa.me/your-number https://wa.me/your-number . You can spam anything here, it's personal and only you can see it. They send wa.me/number-of-person-you-are-contacting in that chat. Click on it and it will start a chat with person-you-are-contacting. All numbers MUST be in international format. Country code and number.
toper-centage 6y ago
Facebook doesn't have my phone number but it still happens to me regularly, because I need the Facebook messenger app. Its really fucked.

csunbird 6y ago

But your contacts do install the apps and Facebook can now match you.

osobo 6y ago

They don't as much share info as live off the same ecosystem in your phone. Regular users, who don't actively block their FB apps from accessing their phones in depth, will store Whatsapp contacts on their phones, which in turn are read by the FB and/or Messenger app. Since neither knows the context, it just assumes its a new contact and show you info accordingly.

AlexandrB 6y ago

> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. Is this a new limitation? On iOS I'm still able to message someone new using only their phone number. Though I'm blocking contact access so perhaps that's why.

dijksterhuis 6y ago

> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. You can, if you're both part of a group chat together. Tap on their number and a pop up comes up allowing you to message said person. Also agree with the opinions expressed even with similar experience to yourself (no Facebook or messenger apps installed, WhatsApp contacts don't appear as suggestions on FB website).

chippytea 6y ago
There are also third party apps like "Click to Chat" that let you start conversations with phone numbers. Once you sent 1 message you can just use whatsapp normally.

whywhywhywhy 6y ago

>I don't install the Facebook app and don't give Messenger Lite access to my contacts Literally doesn't matter what you do, it's what other people do with your data. I can tell from this guy I interned for 15 years ago that at one point he uploaded his entire address book to Facebook including my name, email and phone number because he still shows up in facebook recommendations to me today on Facebook and IG. Never gave them access to my contacts either or even had him in my contacts but FB's shadow profile knows he knows who I am.

juliand 6y ago

> Also, I find it annoying that you can't message someone on WhatsApp without adding them to contacts. The trick that i use is to type their number into the domain wa.me in the following format https://wa.me/xxxxxxxxxxx https://wa.me/xxxxxxxxxxx That allows you to open a chat to that specific number without adding them to your contact list.

tmp538394722 6y ago
That’s a neat trick, but “Works for me” is not a solution for mass surveillance.

kace91 6y ago

I don't use their apps. They are almost certainly sharing data behind the scenes, they openly say this in op's link about how WhatsApp uses your data: > improving their services and your experiences using them, such as making suggestions for you (for example, of friends or group connections, or of interesting content), (...) across the Facebook Company Products; There is a small chance that they've gotten all my data from the people at the other side of the conversation if they have the fb app installed I guess, which really isn't much better.

dearjames 6y ago

You can actually send a message without saving a contact. Using WhatsApp's click to chat: wa.me/263xxxxxxxxx?text=Hello Note: The phone number with country code and no preceding plus. Opening that link will launch WhatsApp (or WhatsApp web) to the user's number and the text "Hello" in the message field.

dijksterhuis 6y ago
Doesnt seems to work for me. Get directed to a page saying I don't have WhatsApp installed (I do). Android v8, Firefox v68.6.
- ffpip 6y ago
  That is because you are opening in browser. You have to set wa.me links to open in app. Open firefox settings, toggle 'open links in app'. (or) Open a chat with yourself in whatsapp. https://wa.me/your-number https://wa.me/your-number . You can spam anything here, it's personal and only you can see it. They send wa.me/number-of-person-you-are-contacting in that chat. Click on it and it will start a chat with person-you-are-contacting. All numbers MUST be in international format. Country code and number.
  - dijksterhuis 6y ago
    Reminds me of https://xkcd.com/1172/ https://xkcd.com/1172/
londons_explore 6y ago
On Chrome Desktop Linux, it doesn't work despite me being logged into whatsapp web. Tries to do some xdg-open thing, but clearly that will never work considering whatsapp web has no registered protocol handlers... Looks like it is some half completed demo integration rather than production ready...
- ffpip 6y ago
  Send the link to yourself in whatsapp and then click on it. Open a chat with yourself in whatsapp. https://wa.me/your-number https://wa.me/your-number . You can spam anything here, it's personal and only you can see it. They send wa.me/number-of-person-you-are-contacting in that chat. Click on it and it will start a chat with person-you-are-contacting. All numbers MUST be in international format. Country code and number.

toper-centage 6y ago

Facebook doesn't have my phone number but it still happens to me regularly, because I need the Facebook messenger app. Its really fucked.