[lifthrasiir]

I actually don't use Kakaotalk (or LINE or Facebook, to be comprehensive) even though I'm a Korean. That does make me some kind of weirdo, but many enough services have an SMS fallback so I can live without it.

On the security side though: I don't think it is a work culture at the play because major IT companies in South Korea---often referred as to the initialism 네카라쿠배, for Naver, Kakao, LINE, Coupang and Baemin operated by Woowa Bros---are known for much better work culture and higher compensation than the nation average [1]. It is probably more like that these apps are domestic and hadn't been scrutinized enough compared to globally popular apps.

[1] But still lower than US or even some Korean startups in my experience.

[chabulhwi]

I'm also a Korean, and I've been getting on without KakaoTalk for two years. But I've never met any other Korean personally who doesn't use it.

[1oooqooq]

it was the same in other places. it's only a matter of time.

south America and most of Africa was taken over by metabook whatsapp. you can't even schedule government appointments without one (which then require a mobile phone number, which then require all the data each govt require for a mobile phone sim purchase)

Europe requires sms plus a apple/google validated app and stock phone. you can't access most eu or eu commission or local gov services without it.

but it all started with "it's fine, i still have X fall back working". but we only cry about china dystopian techno state...

[Angostura]

> Europe requires sms plus a apple/google validated app and stock phone.

Which European central government services require you to use an online service or app, with no voice, paper on in-person fallback. I can think of one in the UK - my council's resident's parking permit system

[1oooqooq]

uk is not even EU...

try the SSO solution for all things eu commission for starters

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/cas/login

you have the option of two badly coded apps, which refuse to run on android without stock rom and google play services. it gatekeeps both internal services as well as access to public grant offers and financial help.

it used to accept sms, and it still show in some flows, but is forbidden on most common cases now.

[graemep]

> uk is not even EU...

The GP comment said "Europe" not the EU and the UK is in Europe so a valid counter example.

The main govt services I know of that require mobile apps are lcoal govt ones for parking. Everything else works in a web browser. As far as private sector services go I know of Virgin Money and supermarket loyalty cards.

[Angostura]

Thank you, yes I was aware that the UK wasn't in the EU. Looking at that page, I can see that you are also apparently able to log in with EiD, Google or Facebook.

[vladvasiliu]

> Europe requires sms plus a apple/google validated app and stock phone. you can't access most eu or eu commission or local gov services without it.

I haven't interacted with the EU sites other than just looking up random things (so no login required).

But French government services (both national and local) work perfectly on my Firefox/Linux PC without any kind of interaction with my phone. I've never actually tried this, but I don't see why they wouldn't work on any phone browser, stock or otherwise.

I haven't tried them all, obviously, but I'm thinking vehicle registration, voter registration and tax service (both personal and corporate).

They have an SSO scheme, France Connect, which is used for multiple services, so I expect that if it worked for the ones I've used, it'll work for the others, too.

The private sector can be more of a clow show, though, especially some banks.

[Ylpertnodi]

Eu citizen here: where in Europe are you talking about?

[rjzzleep]

Didn't Japan just buy(back) line and pledge better operational security a while back? Samsung is famous for frequently reinventing things on their own and leaving it full of security holes as a result. Somehow it's just part of the culture.

[lifthrasiir]

That description applies to many enough non-Korean companies as well. The nationwide culture can't be the whole reason.