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You also need to understand the context that in the UK, and most of the west other than the US, WhatsApp is just the default communication channel for messaging

You also need to understand the context that in the UK, and most of the west other than the US, WhatsApp is just the default communication channel for messaging. If you text someone, it's just assumed it's via WhatsApp.

RegW 3y ago
I don't think so. When you text somebody it's assumed it's SMS, but if your friendship circle is on Android then in actual fact it's Google Messages. All the same benefits: end-to-end encryption and data mining.
- jonp888 3y ago
  No. I have lived in the UK for 35 years and I didn't even know Google Messages existed until you mentioned it. WhatsApp is the default and I would only use SMS in the rare case that someone did not use WhatsApp. There is no automatic integration on Android phones between SMS and another network the way iMessage is automatic.
  - 0xFEE1DEAD 3y ago
    Germany chiming in to agree. WhatsApp is the default
  - RegW 3y ago
    > I have lived in the UK for 35 years and I didn't even know Google Messages existed until you mentioned it. Exactly, even though it is the default messaging app on Android and receives their SMS texts for them, most users don't realise they are using it or that when they "send a text" to another Android user it is actually sending the message over data. Anyway my understanding is that a text is a SMS text, and a whatsapp is a whatsapp message. I know that Google Messages hides itself by sending SMS texts when the number isn't known to Messages, and I guess Whatsapp does this too. I also live in the UK and occupy a space within multiple different communities which insist on different messaging apps. May be I just don't the option to be so vague.
- vore 3y ago
  I think what the parent meant was that if someone wants you to "text" them, they actually mean to send a message on WhatsApp and nothing to do with whatever texting on a given platform is. Also, how are you data mining end-to-end encrypted messages? How can you get data out of messages you can't even see the contents of?
  - RegW 3y ago
    Well I assume that the end-to-end encryption is honoured, and the message is not parsed in any way at either end. I also assume that the end-to-end reference is between your phone and the phone of the intended recipient, and not between your phone and the server routing the message. I don't have access to the source so I don't have any way to prove that, but with the objections by Facebook/Whatsapp/Meta to breaking the encryption this seems to be the case. No, the data-mining with these apps is in your list of contacts. Whatsapp takes these and builds you into a network. Its not what you say, it is who you are talking to and when. That is valuable. When you sign up, you up load your contacts to Whatsapp. If you try to prevent it, it will insist and not work until you do. You can try to clear down your contacts and sign up without any. However, it will still take your number and look it up in the contacts of all those who have your number. It now has your name and any details your contacts have chosen to keep about you.

RegW 3y ago

I don't think so. When you text somebody it's assumed it's SMS, but if your friendship circle is on Android then in actual fact it's Google Messages. All the same benefits: end-to-end encryption and data mining.

jonp888 3y ago
No. I have lived in the UK for 35 years and I didn't even know Google Messages existed until you mentioned it. WhatsApp is the default and I would only use SMS in the rare case that someone did not use WhatsApp. There is no automatic integration on Android phones between SMS and another network the way iMessage is automatic.
- 0xFEE1DEAD 3y ago
  Germany chiming in to agree. WhatsApp is the default
- RegW 3y ago
  > I have lived in the UK for 35 years and I didn't even know Google Messages existed until you mentioned it. Exactly, even though it is the default messaging app on Android and receives their SMS texts for them, most users don't realise they are using it or that when they "send a text" to another Android user it is actually sending the message over data. Anyway my understanding is that a text is a SMS text, and a whatsapp is a whatsapp message. I know that Google Messages hides itself by sending SMS texts when the number isn't known to Messages, and I guess Whatsapp does this too. I also live in the UK and occupy a space within multiple different communities which insist on different messaging apps. May be I just don't the option to be so vague.
vore 3y ago
I think what the parent meant was that if someone wants you to "text" them, they actually mean to send a message on WhatsApp and nothing to do with whatever texting on a given platform is. Also, how are you data mining end-to-end encrypted messages? How can you get data out of messages you can't even see the contents of?
- RegW 3y ago
  Well I assume that the end-to-end encryption is honoured, and the message is not parsed in any way at either end. I also assume that the end-to-end reference is between your phone and the phone of the intended recipient, and not between your phone and the server routing the message. I don't have access to the source so I don't have any way to prove that, but with the objections by Facebook/Whatsapp/Meta to breaking the encryption this seems to be the case. No, the data-mining with these apps is in your list of contacts. Whatsapp takes these and builds you into a network. Its not what you say, it is who you are talking to and when. That is valuable. When you sign up, you up load your contacts to Whatsapp. If you try to prevent it, it will insist and not work until you do. You can try to clear down your contacts and sign up without any. However, it will still take your number and look it up in the contacts of all those who have your number. It now has your name and any details your contacts have chosen to keep about you.