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I tried asking my parents to switch to Signal, but it did not fly. They are in their 70s and are used to WhatsApp. They don't care about privacy. My Mom yelled

by 01635 6y ago

I tried asking my parents to switch to Signal, but it did not fly. They are in their 70s and are used to WhatsApp. They don't care about privacy. My Mom yelled at me for endorsing Signal to her. She said: "All my friends are on WhatsApp. I don't want to install another app just because of one person."

millibar 6y ago
Haha, this is pretty much what i expect to hear from my mum who took year to figure out how to use WhatsApp
leokennis 6y ago
My strategy is: tell them I will be leaving WhatsApp, and they can reach me on Signal. If they don’t care enough to install a free app to talk to me, good riddance.
- selfhoster11 6y ago
  This is a good strategy for burning bridges that don't have to be burnt (and I mean between friends, not just random acquaintances who you don't care for). It's better to gradually shift person-by-person so that you don't lose relationships.
  - sumtechguy 6y ago
    I have been through this 'transition' about 4 times now on other applications. "oh I do not use that one anymore I use XYZ" when it comes up and offer to help them setup a new account. I then usually just fire it up for them for a small conversation right then but then turn it off. There is nothing wrong with having more than one application. Hell most of our phones are already running dozens of them. But at a point you grow weary of them. I used to use aggregator applications like trillian. But they always seem to be chasing the breakage or not able to interpolate at all. In a couple of years it will be some other application that will be the top dog. "Hey what is your ICQ number?" It also depends if you are considered a hub or spoke in your social circles. If you are a 'spoke' then getting others to change would be hard. If you are a 'hub' you have better success.
  - leokennis 6y ago
    Why? They can still reach me for free and with all convenience one could hope for.
- gtirloni 6y ago
  Good luck saying good riddance to your immediate family.
  - ericmay 6y ago
    If you lose contact with your immediate family because of a messaging platform it's not really a great relationship that needs to be maintained anyway. You can visit, call, text, or email too.
    - rcstank 6y ago
      It's actually setting a healthy boundary. If they don't want to reach me on Signal, that's fine. There are other ways to talk to each other rather than text messaging.
  - leokennis 6y ago
    I’m hoping your family likes you more than they hate installing and setting up a dead simple to use and free app like Signal...
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
- proverbialbunny 6y ago
  In response my sister just sms' me.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
system2 6y ago
Exactly. No one I know cares about privacy nor another app for other reasons. Whatever is popular they will use. Family members are already used to Whatsapp. It is nearly impossible to switch them to something else now.
anentropic 6y ago
Funnily enough my story is the opposite - I don't care very much but my Dad (72) just announced to my brother and I that he's moving to Signal and we need to follow him over there...

by 01635 6y ago

millibar 6y ago

Haha, this is pretty much what i expect to hear from my mum who took year to figure out how to use WhatsApp

leokennis 6y ago

My strategy is: tell them I will be leaving WhatsApp, and they can reach me on Signal. If they don’t care enough to install a free app to talk to me, good riddance.

selfhoster11 6y ago
This is a good strategy for burning bridges that don't have to be burnt (and I mean between friends, not just random acquaintances who you don't care for). It's better to gradually shift person-by-person so that you don't lose relationships.
- sumtechguy 6y ago
  I have been through this 'transition' about 4 times now on other applications. "oh I do not use that one anymore I use XYZ" when it comes up and offer to help them setup a new account. I then usually just fire it up for them for a small conversation right then but then turn it off. There is nothing wrong with having more than one application. Hell most of our phones are already running dozens of them. But at a point you grow weary of them. I used to use aggregator applications like trillian. But they always seem to be chasing the breakage or not able to interpolate at all. In a couple of years it will be some other application that will be the top dog. "Hey what is your ICQ number?" It also depends if you are considered a hub or spoke in your social circles. If you are a 'spoke' then getting others to change would be hard. If you are a 'hub' you have better success.
- leokennis 6y ago
  Why? They can still reach me for free and with all convenience one could hope for.
gtirloni 6y ago
Good luck saying good riddance to your immediate family.
- ericmay 6y ago
  If you lose contact with your immediate family because of a messaging platform it's not really a great relationship that needs to be maintained anyway. You can visit, call, text, or email too.
  - rcstank 6y ago
    It's actually setting a healthy boundary. If they don't want to reach me on Signal, that's fine. There are other ways to talk to each other rather than text messaging.
- leokennis 6y ago
  I’m hoping your family likes you more than they hate installing and setting up a dead simple to use and free app like Signal...
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
proverbialbunny 6y ago
In response my sister just sms' me.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

system2 6y ago

Exactly. No one I know cares about privacy nor another app for other reasons. Whatever is popular they will use. Family members are already used to Whatsapp. It is nearly impossible to switch them to something else now.

anentropic 6y ago

Funnily enough my story is the opposite - I don't care very much but my Dad (72) just announced to my brother and I that he's moving to Signal and we need to follow him over there...