Email, docs, music, maps etc have reasonable alternatives and you don’t depend on others to switch (a gmail user will receive my email from tuta). But with WhatsApp either you conceal and use it or you just don’t talk to people (tried convincing them to switch to signal and it simply doesn’t happen)

How do you deal with it?

  • dragospirvu75@lemmy.ml
    8·
    7 days ago

    I don’t have Whatsapp and I will never use it. If people don’t want to use Signal, Telegram, XMPP, Matrix, SimpleX, or Delta Chat, we will talk over RCS/SMS.

    • jcr@jlai.luFrançais
      1·
      6 days ago

      Sms is now so developped, sending pictures and videos, calling is one click away, no need to install or update : it is surprisingly useful. Then you have the same issue with Wechat for Chinese communities

      • trilobite@lemmy.ml
        2·
        6 days ago

        Only problem is that ive started noticing telcoms are discouraging their use by limiting number of sms on monthly plan. Wonder why …?

      • dragospirvu75@lemmy.ml
        1·
        6 days ago

        SMS is only text. Pictures and videos are MMS which, in many countries, are not configured by default, are not included in plans and cost a lot, around 0.20€/MMS.

  • Axioma@mujico.org
    7·
    6 days ago

    People from the United States can’t understand how difficult is for us who live in countries where WhatsApp is used for everything, they can’t understand this trend began even before Meta bought Whatsapp. In Mexico is a nightmare without WhatsApp because is the main source of communication not only for the people but for your job, delivery, assistance and more. So basically what you can do is to have a device for WhatsApp and another for your private life

    • trilobite@lemmy.ml
      4·
      6 days ago

      I have two profiles on my GOS and Wapp lives on one of them. However, i manage people expectations telling them that my Wapp phone is almost always off so they know that if its urgent, they need to call or use Signal. Eventually people will understand and if they dont, i am not prepared to live my life by the needs if others. I lived at a time where there were no mobile phones. Life worked the same, albeit at a slower pace. People, we really dont need to be hyperconnected. Relax and let people understand that yheir mental status will improve once they put some rules between them and their mobile devices.

  • UltraGiGaGigantic@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    6 days ago

    Never used it. I have app fatigue. I am forced to download so many apps, make so many accounts, I really dont want to make another one. Sucks to hear how few options some countries have. The people who matter wont care how you want to keep in touch.

  • Kilgore TroutEnglish
    2·
    7 days ago

    The few people who really care about me, agreed to contact me via SMS.
    The close family even uses XMPP for me.

  • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    42·
    7 days ago

    I just don’t talk to people.

    I mean, I didn’t watch Game of Thrones, so I’ll never be a citizen of humanity. Seems like a decade and a half went by of conversations that went “So did you see Game of Thrones last night?” “No, I don’t watch that show.” “Oh. Bye.” The sooner you realize everyone is an empty headed content consumer and there has never been anything worth saying to or hearing from any of them, the sooner you’ll wonder why you even own a phone.

    • peskypry@lemmy.ml
      1·
      6 days ago

      While your statement was true regarding phone (and WhatsApp) being a lifestyle choice, it has become a critical requirement for participating in the society.

      In India, every little thing now requires WhatsApp. Want to contact your doctor, lawyer or want to get receipt? Good luck if you don’t have a smartphone and WhatsApp.

      So not having WhatsApp is not a choice. Believe me. I have been running GrapheneOS, WhatsApp free. It is so hard.

      • trilobite@lemmy.ml
        22·
        6 days ago

        Disagree. My doctor shouldnt be using whatsapp to communicate my health issues. We guve them this freedom. Stand for your rights.

        • peskypry@lemmy.ml
          3·
          6 days ago

          The doctor isn’t the problem here. They’re simply trying to communicate in the most frictionless way possible. So do the billions of people. The real failure is our governments. They allow basic communication protocols to be privatized and monopolized rather than mandating open, federated standards.

          • trilobite@lemmy.ml
            1·
            5 days ago

            Sure, but governments don’t do what is right for people. If pepple are jappy with poor software why should they intervene?

  • Toryu122@lemmy.ml
    1·
    7 days ago

    Thats the neat part, you dont

    Unlike all the apps you named it, “users” is what make it still alive to this day

    You gonna have to use it with Signal if you want to use Signal that much, or just dont

  • notsosure@sh.itjust.works
    23·
    8 days ago

    All my friends went cold turkey when I canceled all Facebook products two years ago. I switched to signal; some were using it already, some followed me, some use both. Screw the rest; they can use SMS, or snail mail, it turns out they were unreflective jerks to begin with. Culling is always refreshing. Admittedly, with signal being USA based, I will probably switch to a EU service soon, so the fun starts all over 🤪

        • Life is Tetris@leminal.space
          1·
          4 days ago

          eh, it runs on e-mail infrastructure; also, it does a little bit more than messaging.

          You can use your usual e-mail ID, and message anybody else’s e-mail ID, but securely only if they also use Delta Chat. To work around the big servers seeing your social graph, they recommend using randomly-generated IDs on always-encrypted tuned e-mail servers that they call “chat mail” servers.

          Either way, you also get user-to-user web apps called WebXDC. This is something even some XMPP clients have added nowadays.

  • devfuuu@lemmy.world
    14·
    8 days ago

    Don’t use it. Refuse to talk with anyone that says they want me to use it. It’s been working great.

    Had to install and use an anonymous number that no one has for like 2 things that I was really in need to for interacting with some businesses though and for when many people were laid off in the company and that’s where I needed to find some info.

    Either I use Signal only or SMS which has worked great for many years. Now with RCS it’s the same as any other internet based chat even with video calls.