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 .
I don’t think so…
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.
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 .
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.
wondering if you could do this in an Android VM
Not impossible, but without a camera to scan the QR code it becomes quite annoying.
I did it. I was banned after a few hours.
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.
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?
Mostly voice calls. People get really confused if it looks like you are using WhatsApp but they can’t call you through it.
other than basic text chat, what else does WA offer these days?
group chats, reactions, sending files, voice messages, voice and video calls
I don’t know if calls work, but all the other stuff you mention does work.
Consider the level privacy of an interoperable / federated network is only as good as the node with the lowest level of privacy. The moment you connect to Meta infra, you’re feeding it data, including but not limited to who you talked with, when you online, your message frequency, and possibly a whole lot more. Then they can start linking other bits to form a complete profile of you.
It is just slightly better than installing WA., and also part of tge reasons why many Mastodon and Lemmy server refuse to federate with Meta Threads.
Are you in Europe? I haven’t downloaded WhatsApp but it was supposed to get a “third party tab” or something. No idea what happened with that.
Also I made the switch to Signal years ago and told my friends: either you switch or we use email. Everybody hates email, so the good friends installed signal. Acquaintances didn’t and they stayed acquaintances.
Now I also made more friends who care about privacy (or me) enough to install signal.
It’s kinda up to you, which guns you stick to.
P.S Fuck Facebook. I hope the EU fines them for hampering interoperability.
I hope the EU fines them for hampering interoperability.
This depends on there being enough greens and liberals in the European Parliament.
PSA: EU citizens, you may still have an hour or so to go out and VOTE. It matters.
European citizens laughed when Trump won, but the ridicule turned into laziness. “It can’t happen here, there’s no need to vote”.
I bet we’ll have a right wing parliament and council, but as the Germans say " hope dies last".
is there any hidden data collection I should be aware of ?
Aka backdoors.
They played cat and mouse for a while, Facebook (Meta) moving the backdoor and NSO finding it again. I don’t trust their software.Mar 25, 2024 —
… the Commission has granted Meta an extension of 6 months to comply with the interoperability obligation (Article 7 DMA)
Because of a “reasoned request” [from META]. … Commission said it’s received and accepted [request] from Meta.
granted because it was:
“necessary to ensure effective interoperability and to maintain the necessary level of security, including end-to-end encryption”.
and after that, there will be another request and so on forever, they have alot of dough to burn.
Nice . Also may I ask which search engine do you use ?
Interoperability with what?
It’s not going to matter, as far as privacy is concerned. Meta is going to collect your metadata regardless of whether you use WhatsApp or any other theoretically interoperable platform.
That doesn’t answer my question.
Use matrix and bridges. Tchncs.de has a whatsapp bridge for free I think. Please consider donating because running this stuff is expensive. There are others as well but tchncs is the only one I know. I run bridges for myself and friends but they also chip in.
What’s the point of this? You still have a Meta account, they still have your phone #, and they still collect all the metadata from said account.
Many reasons:
- you can disable background updates, wifi and mobile data, location, etc. which renders the app useless. They cant collect directly from the phone that way.
- I have one app for all my messaging needs. No need to switch
- i will always ask for matrix communication first which takes meta out of the loop
- i have friends who arent tech savvy or ready to switch so I am not forced to use whatsapp
- its a fun exercise and I provide feedback for the makers of the bridges which helps development
you can disable background updates, wifi and mobile data, location, etc. which renders the app useless. They cant collect directly from the phone that way.
…why not just uninstall the app altogether at that point?
Most privacy concerns don’t stem from any of that anyway, it stems from the metadata in your messages. Who you’re talking to, when, how often, etc.
I have one app for all my messaging needs.
I mean I guess that’s true if you only use 2 messaging platforms?
i will always ask for matrix communication first which takes meta out of the loop
You can do that without bridges.
i have friends who arent tech savvy or ready to switch so I am not forced to use whatsapp
…but you are using WhatsApp. It’s not just an app, it’s a service.
its a fun exercise
If this is what you find fun, more power to you. Just don’t be under the illusion that this increases privacy even a little.
I’m somewhat appreciative of the neutral tone you use in your comment but I’m kind of taken aback by the fact that you seem to think i wanted an answer to the points I made. I find it very rude to try and take apart someones reasoning which was given in good faith. If I wanted your opinion on that, I would have asked.
I can see that it is not what you would do and I you dont seem to understand my reasons for doing what I do. I dont mind that. What I do mind is unsolicited critique or advice.
Have a good day.
I wasn’t trying to “take apart your reasoning”. You are under false impressions, and spreading false impressions to others.
It’s great that you can form your own opinions. You should really refrain from pushing your opinions on others though.
Good bye.
This is not an opinion.
Firstly, they did not push anything on you. And this is the internet and a discussion focused site at that. You should either accept that people can reply to you without you granting them the right to do so, or reconsider participating within public discourse, for your own wellbeing.
Hey I’m sorry to ask but can you hand hold me through the process cause their brief discriprition went over my head lol . So I download WhatsApp and make an acc and download matrix and make an acc and then link it ? Can I then use matrix as a kind of WhatsApp client ? Can I talk to random users or join WhatsApp groups like I can in the official app ? I’m so confused lol . Also can I just delete the WhatsApp app after connecting and not worry about it ever ?
can you hand hold me through the process
I can try but I cant promise anything
So I download WhatsApp and make an acc and download matrix and make an acc and then link it ?
You dont download matrix. You download a client for the matrix protocol. The client is your choice but will make a huge impact on your experience. I use fluffychat but I also have element as backup.
You make an account on a matrix instance. tchncs.de is the best public one I can suggest.
You then join their rooms and start asking people for help, politely. I havent used their process but i use the exact same bridges and they work.
Can I then use matrix as a kind of WhatsApp client ?
Whatsapp, signal, telegram and matrix in one app, yes
Can I talk to random users or join WhatsApp groups like I can in the official app ?
I dont know if you need to use a whatsapp client to join a group but you can def talk to anyone and in any group from my experience. this is open source stuff which you need to be aware of. if you’re not the product and you dont pay them, then you should help any way you can and be very patient.
Also can I just delete the WhatsApp app after connecting and not worry about it ever ?
You cant “not worry about it ever” on anything, ever. Either you pay someone to make your experience perfect (the mechanic that repairs your bike or your car) or you help yourself and ask for help politely.
Whatsapp can lose the connection (happened to me once in like 3 months) and you will need a whatsapp client to reconnect and then you can forget it again.
Also, its not a billion dollar company doing this so it needs testing and you’re the tester so consider submitting your experiences in the form of (rational) bug reports or similar.
**TL;DR: FOSS software will never be “perfect”. It is a community effort to improve it. You always pay in this world: Money, Privacy or Work. If you dont, someone else must.
Uh why do you answer like I asked FOSS to be perfect ? I just had some dpubts about the functions but as far as I can see was never judgmental of Foss . Anyway seems like its not for me and tnx for the answer .
Uh why do you answer like I asked FOSS to be perfect ?
What gave you the impression?
Anyway seems like its not for me and tnx for the answer .
How come?
Idk I kinda read your answer like that and you seem to stress multiple times that its Foss and not perfect etc etc .
Okay. I dont know how it happened but thats not what I wanted to convey. I did want to make clear that you can always pay someone to make it perfect or you can use the great options other people have invested money and time in and decided to share it for free.
Why is meta not being fined for violating DMA?
No one wants zuck to lead a lizard invasion .
WhatsApp uses Signal protocol, might try getting your friends/groups to switch over to the better app?
They won’t lol everything is too integrated for anyone to switch and no one except me gives a fuck about privacy in my friends circle and family .
