[mds101]

The problem is Whatsapp has strong network effects unlike Facebook itself. Most people would be able to quit Facebook and it wouldn't make much of a difference to their lives, whereas cutting off Whatsapp would mean a daily inconvenience when you want to talk to the people closest to you.

[midasz]

> would mean a daily inconvenience when you want to talk to the people closest to you

I did exactly that and it wasn't hard at all. I still have a phone number which they can call or text. I let them know the alternatives I was reachable on, and they installed them. My family group chat is now on Telegram, my wife who still uses whatsapp says the WA family chat is basically dead.

Even when I was in contact with a recruiter for the job I'm currently in it wasn't that hard. She said I'll 'App you' which means to send a message via WA. I quickly said something like ah sorry I'm not on WA but you can Telegram or just text me instead. And you know what she said? Ok. And then we texted.

If it's really that big of an inconvenience for those closest to you, you have to wonder how close they really are.

[roelschroeven]

> My family group chat is now on Telegram

Good for you, and your family, but that's simply not possible in lots of situations. My father and I tried to convert our family chat to Signal. Didn't work. I have no way to convince my coworkers to switch away from Whatsapp: they simply don't see privacy issues in the same light as I do.

It's unfortunate, but at least for the time being it's simply not happening.

[midasz]

> My father and I tried to convert our family chat to Signal. Didn't work.

Oh damn, did they just continue the whatsapp chat without you two in it?

> convince my coworkers to switch away from Whatsapp

You don't have to convince them to switch away from WA. You personally just need to switch away from WA. The reason it worked in my case is because I just simply stated I wasn't going to use it anymore and that they could reach me in different ways. The value is in the network effect, at the start they used Telegram just for me. But since they already had Telegram open for the group chat, they might as well use it for PM's to each other.

> at least for the time being it's simply not happening

There's really nothing that will change though. WA will keep working, WA will keep becoming more shit, and 99% of people will still not care as long as it works. The only difference is the people that you can reach through the medium.

[jonp888]

> If it's really that big of an inconvenience for those closest to you, you have to wonder how close they really are.

You are in an incredibly fortunate position if you only ever have to communicate with people or groups of people who find you so significant they will change things to ensure they can reach you.

I am involved in a couple of volunteer groups with about 50 members. Everything is planned and discussed in WhatsApp groups. I am a junior member with no special value to the group and if I declined to participate via WA I would just be ignored. I.E. If I stopped using WhatsApp I would no longer have any hobbies. Great result.

Likewise where I live there is a massive housing shortage, 100 applicants for a flat is not unusual. If the agent wanted to use WhatsApp and I refused, he would just ignore me.