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Meta subsidizes a very large proportion of the world’s communication (in the form of Whatsapp/Instagram/Facebook). Even if 98% of it is unnecessary garbage, th
by lotsofpulp 1y ago
Meta subsidizes a very large proportion of the world’s communication (in the form of Whatsapp/Instagram/Facebook).
Even if 98% of it is unnecessary garbage, the functionality for that last 2% has provided a ton of utility to billions of people.
- wkat4242 1y agoExcept they make money so they don't subsidise it. They get paid for it but through our data. Which is what we don't want here in Europe anyway.
- lotsofpulp 1y agoSubsidy in this context was meant to convey that all the bandwidth and infrastructure that allows for global communication for billions of people is paid for by the advertising Meta sells, money that obviously disappears if Meta disappears.
- wkat4242 1y agoThat doesn't mean we won't have money to pay for it though. All that advertiser money comes from the consumer too. Companies pay it to sell things, and to make a profit they factor it into the price. We're paying for it, we just don't pay Meta directly. If meta would disappear we would either buy less and have more money to pay for communication (and doing more towards saving the planet as well!). We'd probably choose things to buy more on actual need and quality rather than marketing BS.
- scarface_74 1y agoWith RCS being widely adopted even by Apple, do you really need WhatsApp anymore?