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The Global South is overwhelmingly fond of WhatsApp, to the point that it has basically replaced the PSTN in some countries. And if this EU legislation passed,
by OfSanguineFire 3y ago
The Global South is overwhelmingly fond of WhatsApp, to the point that it has basically replaced the PSTN in some countries. And if this EU legislation passed, Meta would almost certainly get on board in order to not lose the European market. Where do you see deplatforming, or the shaking of WhatsApp’s monopoly and room for a local competitor to grow?
- logicchains 3y ago>Where do you see deplatforming, or the shaking of WhatsApp’s monopoly and room for a local competitor to grow? In the Middle East and North Africa (and Russia) Telegram seems to be competitive with WhatsApp in popularity, because people trust it more than the US-owned WhatsApp.
- OfSanguineFire 3y agoI have spent a lot of the last five years traveling the MENA region by bike, and the random local people I meet overwhelmingly want to exchange WhatsApp contact info (and are shocked to discover I don't have it, as I use only Signal). Sure, Telegram is around too, but WhatsApp's position is strong, and in any event Telegram is not a locally developed solution. Your claim that people trust Telegram more is a stretch. I daresay the masses in the Global South think little about where their apps come from and are poorly informed about tech matters, just like in the Global North.
- csomar 3y agoTelegram is now based in Dubai.
- OfSanguineFire 3y agoAs a legal formality. A journalist who visited the registered address in Dubai fairly recently found no one at home. The app is honestly regarded as a Russian product.
- logicchains 3y agoWhatsApp hasn't currently given them any reason to switch. If Meta decided to censor text supporting Palestine on WhatsApp, as it has just decided to do on Instagram and Facebook, you can bet most of them would ditch it for Telegram.