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by luastoned 3578 days ago
How did Facebook corrupt WhatsApp? Pre-Facebook there was no end-to-end encryption, etc..
3 comments

Did you see the source code of WhatsApp? Do you know somebody that saw it?

They can tell all they want, but I won't trust them until I (or someone I trust, e.g. Debian, FSF, etc.) see the code.

Also being end to end encrypted does not block whatsapp from censoring you or your friends/family! See how they "disabled" links to telegram https://orat.io/blog/as-of-today-whatsapp-is-blocking-telegr... and removed the telegram page from facebook.

It seems the end-to-end encryption was done by OpenWhisperSystems.
And so?

1. They still censorship telegram which means they can read messages locally. With new updates whatsapp could have new rules to censor or modify "dangerous" (to them) messages.

2. E2E encryption is implemented now, what about the future?

Ok, I'm not defending them. I will uninstall this damn app.
> How did Facebook corrupt WhatsApp?

Previously WhatsApp had subscriptions ($1/yr) and were proudly ad-free. Facebook scrapped subscriptions and is about to add Ads. WhatsApp also never shared your number with anyone; sharing your number with advertisers is undoubtedly corrupting WhatsApp.

Yeah, I actually paid for the 3 year subscription. Now I can't even see the option. It was a big differentiator in my opinion. Their logic was sound too - even at $1 a user they could make a $1bn a year. (Even in developing countries - because of the networking effect - people would have paid that modest fee.)
Earlier, anyone could get access to messages if they wanted to. Now, ONLY Facebook can access data.