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Off topic: Why does WhatsApp don't give the option to block all calls and texts by default? That way, I can only talk with folks I want. The signal app has that

Off topic: Why does WhatsApp don't give the option to block all calls and texts by default? That way, I can only talk with folks I want. The signal app has that option. Random businesses can send you texts to promote their shity services (typically, your number is grabbed from data brokers or leaks). Of course, you can block and report such spam, but there is no DnD option right now. Alt url as nvd is under load: Critical WhatsApp vulnerabilities patched https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2022/09/critical-whatsapp-vulnerabilities-patched-check-youve-updated https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2022/09/critical-what... Edit: I forgot to mention almost all spam is from verified whatapps business accounts. So I believe they/FB are selling data directly under their updated TOS.

pedro_hab 4y ago
yes, WhatsApp used to be great in this regard, you would not get any spam. Now it's starting to get worse and worse. I block SMS notifications since I only get spam there (I'm Brazilian, SMS is basically dead here)
- anvic 4y ago
  >Now it's starting to get worse and worse. Wait until the EU-mandated intercompatibility kicks in.
  - vladvasiliu 4y ago
    Wouldn't that actually help? As another commenter said, some apps actually allow blocking random callers. So, presumably, such an app could be used instead of WhatsApp while still being able to contact people on that network. Kind of like in the '00s, when you could use pidgin or some other third-party app to avoid the annoyances of msn or yahoo messenger.
Asdrubalini 4y ago
Wanna talk about how the WhatsApp client on macOS (and probably also Windows) by default shows your webcam on screen if someone videocalls you? That way if you are sharing your screen and someone happens to call you, everyone will be able to suddenly see you without warnings. For me is such an enormous privacy violation that I removed the client (which is also a memory hog) and now use only the browser version.
- nixcraft 4y ago
  >now use only the browser version. That is a great idea. But can you delete the app from your phone once connected to the web browser?
  - michaelmior 4y ago
    I believe so. Although you may need to periodically reinstall to reauth.
    - beefield 4y ago
      Install Whatsapp on a virtual android on your computer?
      - jaywalk 4y ago
        Can virtual Android simulate your phone number?
        isp 4y ago
        It doesn't need to. The WhatsApp authentication SMS message can be sent to your (real) phone, and then manually transcribe the auth code into WhatsApp on the Android VM. I did this for a while.
  - Asdrubalini 4y ago
    Definitely not, but I was referring to the macOS version. AFAIK you always need to have the app installed on some phone that is connected to the internet but things may have changed since I last checked. It doesn't bother me much on phone since i have never shared the screen but on computers is a real concern.
  - llui85 4y ago
    The phone has to check in with WhatsApp every 2 weeks for any linked devices to keep working. https://faq.whatsapp.com/579413796526134/ https://faq.whatsapp.com/579413796526134/
el_nahual 4y ago
I am one of these "WhatsApp spammers" (well, I don't consider myself a spammer but you might!). We sell financial services in a developing country. We're not a mobile app—we're just a mobile-first website (a common gripe on HN is 'there's too many apps, just make a website'. Well, we're one of them). We need to be able to get in touch with our customers for transactional purposes (changes to their account, delivery notifications, login links, that sort of thing). Our customers don't have email. SMS gets filtered at the phone level (and uses untrustworthy, shared numbers). The only option is WhatsApp. Most of the world does not have a computer, they have a phone. So at this point it's either WA or a native app + push notifications. Which would you prefer? Just for reference, facebook has pretty strict guidelines for sending unsolicited messages. In order for us to send you an unsolicited message, that message must use a preapproved template. Those templates are not supposed to be used for marketing purposes (although it's easy enough to craft a seemingly transactional template that is actually marketing). And there's also some cases that are a bit of a gray area. However, in our experience, users are brutal flagging spammy messages as spammy, and facebook has pretty strict deliverability rules. If your quality drops, your messages stop being delivered. All in all, I think it's pretty fair.
- benplumley 4y ago
  > Which would you prefer? The native app, no question. Why would I want to make a facebook account just to get notifications from a third party (you)?
  - el_nahual 4y ago
    You don't need a facebook account to use WhatsApp, and where we are WA penetration is already over 97%.
- yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
  Why would any of that require you to send unsolicited messages? If the user wants notifications, they can add you to their contacts
  - 4y ago
nicoburns 4y ago
iOS now provides this as an OS features ("Focus"). You cab block notifications from all but certain apps and/or all but certain contacts. And the contacts feature works with WhatsApp.

pedro_hab 4y ago

yes, WhatsApp used to be great in this regard, you would not get any spam. Now it's starting to get worse and worse. I block SMS notifications since I only get spam there (I'm Brazilian, SMS is basically dead here)

anvic 4y ago
>Now it's starting to get worse and worse. Wait until the EU-mandated intercompatibility kicks in.
- vladvasiliu 4y ago
  Wouldn't that actually help? As another commenter said, some apps actually allow blocking random callers. So, presumably, such an app could be used instead of WhatsApp while still being able to contact people on that network. Kind of like in the '00s, when you could use pidgin or some other third-party app to avoid the annoyances of msn or yahoo messenger.

Asdrubalini 4y ago

Wanna talk about how the WhatsApp client on macOS (and probably also Windows) by default shows your webcam on screen if someone videocalls you? That way if you are sharing your screen and someone happens to call you, everyone will be able to suddenly see you without warnings. For me is such an enormous privacy violation that I removed the client (which is also a memory hog) and now use only the browser version.

nixcraft 4y ago
>now use only the browser version. That is a great idea. But can you delete the app from your phone once connected to the web browser?
- michaelmior 4y ago
  I believe so. Although you may need to periodically reinstall to reauth.
  - beefield 4y ago
    Install Whatsapp on a virtual android on your computer?
    - jaywalk 4y ago
      Can virtual Android simulate your phone number?
      - isp 4y ago
        It doesn't need to. The WhatsApp authentication SMS message can be sent to your (real) phone, and then manually transcribe the auth code into WhatsApp on the Android VM. I did this for a while.
- Asdrubalini 4y ago
  Definitely not, but I was referring to the macOS version. AFAIK you always need to have the app installed on some phone that is connected to the internet but things may have changed since I last checked. It doesn't bother me much on phone since i have never shared the screen but on computers is a real concern.
- llui85 4y ago
  The phone has to check in with WhatsApp every 2 weeks for any linked devices to keep working. https://faq.whatsapp.com/579413796526134/ https://faq.whatsapp.com/579413796526134/

el_nahual 4y ago

I am one of these "WhatsApp spammers" (well, I don't consider myself a spammer but you might!). We sell financial services in a developing country. We're not a mobile app—we're just a mobile-first website (a common gripe on HN is 'there's too many apps, just make a website'. Well, we're one of them). We need to be able to get in touch with our customers for transactional purposes (changes to their account, delivery notifications, login links, that sort of thing). Our customers don't have email. SMS gets filtered at the phone level (and uses untrustworthy, shared numbers). The only option is WhatsApp. Most of the world does not have a computer, they have a phone. So at this point it's either WA or a native app + push notifications. Which would you prefer? Just for reference, facebook has pretty strict guidelines for sending unsolicited messages. In order for us to send you an unsolicited message, that message must use a preapproved template. Those templates are not supposed to be used for marketing purposes (although it's easy enough to craft a seemingly transactional template that is actually marketing). And there's also some cases that are a bit of a gray area. However, in our experience, users are brutal flagging spammy messages as spammy, and facebook has pretty strict deliverability rules. If your quality drops, your messages stop being delivered. All in all, I think it's pretty fair.

benplumley 4y ago
> Which would you prefer? The native app, no question. Why would I want to make a facebook account just to get notifications from a third party (you)?
- el_nahual 4y ago
  You don't need a facebook account to use WhatsApp, and where we are WA penetration is already over 97%.
yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
Why would any of that require you to send unsolicited messages? If the user wants notifications, they can add you to their contacts
- 4y ago

nicoburns 4y ago

iOS now provides this as an OS features ("Focus"). You cab block notifications from all but certain apps and/or all but certain contacts. And the contacts feature works with WhatsApp.