Privacy

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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Is it worth waiting for WhatsApp interoperability anymore ? Is it ever coming ? (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I really need to get in contact with some people on WA and have some groups to join and have been waiting for interoperability to get going so I don't have to use zuck's app . But the said date march has long passed and I can't find shit on it or why it didn't happen anywhere . I have yesterday downloaded the apk from WA's official site and is in half a heart to install it . I know everything I say there should be considered public but besides that and the app knowing my IP and contacts is there any hidden data collection I should be aware of ? Or should I wait some more which I don't think I can as am loosing patience lol . Also will it even be global or support apps that are really privacy focused unlike the usual suspects like TG or signal ?

Edit : Seems like I have to suck up to Meta as our lizard lord intended . As WhatsApp is ad free (to my knowledge) it is all but confirmed they are selling data . In my opinion Meta is more evil than google as google is at least taking some hits and hosting things on lose that we can access without making them a dime (newpipe -youtube, google search engine - unlock with firefox) and they fund Firefox and maintain AOSP, meanwhile all meta do is making their service a thing which we can't leave and steal fuckin everything they do absolutely no good whatsoever and have no redeeming qualities and people or laws don't give them enough shit for it . People may say "if you don't like meta just don't use it" well guess what we can't stop it as almost everything needs their platforms nowadays . Sorry that turned into a rant figured .

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Groups are not (yet) supported by the proposed interoperability anyways... and don't hold your breath. It will likely take years for Meta and the EU in courts before they stop with their malicious compliance.

There are working WA bridges for XMPP and Matrix though if you are willing to selfhost.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

But matrix one still needs me to make an WhatsApp acc and run the app on a device no ? I don't see much point then to go through that amount of work. Idk how XMPP does it, is it similar ?

Also interoperability between XMPP/Matrix and WB would be dope if it ever happens .

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

Both bridges require you to log into WA with the official app once every 4 weeks or so. You can put the app in a seperate profile and completely kill its process during this time or have an old device somewhere in a closet that you power on now and then. This is possible now since WA improved their multi-client support (maybe 1 year ago or so?).

That said, don't expect anything other than basic text chat to work via these bridges.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I have an old device in the closet and use the matrix bridge. The bridge bot kindly reminds me to turn on the phone every 12 days, but I think WA’s requirement is 15 days.

I do have to ask though: other than basic text chat, what else does WA offer these days?

For the record, I’m able to see videos, images and listen to audio. Haven’t received a poll yet. Is there anything more to it?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

other than basic text chat, what else does WA offer these days?

group chats, reactions, sending files, voice messages, voice and video calls

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I don’t know if calls work, but all the other stuff you mention does work.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Mostly voice calls. People get really confused if it looks like you are using WhatsApp but they can't call you through it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Ah. Good point. I don’t think I’ve received calls. I don’t know if they would work

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

wondering if you could do this in an Android VM

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Not impossible, but without a camera to scan the QR code it becomes quite annoying.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

you can probably set the virtual camera to an image i think, i cant remember, it's been a while since I messed with Android Studio

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I did it. I was banned after a few hours.

[–] JubilantJaguar 2 points 4 months ago

Same. Did it in a Waydroid container on desktop. IIRC I created a WA business account using a rented landline number, which is the recommended way to get round the SIM requirement. But the account still quickly got banned. Not gonna waste any more time on it, for me Whatsapp is out.