But… But I thought those were private and couldn’t be read by anyone else. /sarcasm
So I think, but I'm not sure, this is for group chats. Group chats are only encrypted to/from the server because the server broadcasts the message to each recipient. As the messages are unencrypted on the server, they can feed them to LLMs.
This is different to Signal. On Signal it's your phone encrypting each copy of the message before sending to each recipient individually.
And I’m sure that summary goes to metas databases to further your profile in their system.
Nobody really needed this feature, this is the actual reason it is being implemented... obviously.
It is insulting they aren't even trying to hide it.
I will never understand anyone who uses Meta products. How much shit does that company need to do before yalls gtfo? Like fr, why are you using WhatsApp when Signal or a million other messaging systems are available?
Momentum of where friends and family are.
It's nice to be able to say "well they're not worth talking to then", but at some point I need to be able to reach my parents so they can babysit my daughter. Or be able to know that family will be in town and expecting me to be available. Or be able to have any way of knowing what life events are happening to my loved ones without having to wait for it to be brought up in casual conversation months later as if I should already know.
My extended family and friends do a poor job communicating on a good day. If I try to add another hurdle, I'm not the one who wins that fight.
Now that RCS between ios and android is a thing there really is no excuse to use Whatsapp any longer. RCS might still be a bit janky but it does its base job fine to the point that I can really reach anyone I need either thru signal, RCS or as a fallback SMS.
Isn't RCS for the most part using Google services and servers? I don't know if that really is that much better.
To my knowledge, the original idea to have RCS be operated by the mobile providers is pretty much dead.
Yes, you're correct.
But that rollout doesn't make headlines like all the ones from the US government telling people to use encrypted messaging like WhatsApp or Signal. That's what got them to WhatsApp to begin with. FBI tells everyone very loudly to get off standard texting. They jump as a collective to where half of them already are.
As I've already alluded to: this has precisely zero to do with the technical aspects of security. Ease of use does matter (why pushing to Signal didn't work at the time the FBI spooked everyone), but only a little bit, and is overshadowed by momentum of where people already are.
I might be able to get my family off WhatsApp with the recent article about it being banned from (I think it was) Congress's phones.
But again, this isn't a technical problem where you can just point at what's obviously the better choice. There are complications of personal relationships, individual resistance to change, whether or not you're willing to train your family members, etc.
My grandmother is in her late 80s and it is astonishing that she can even manage WhatsApp to pariticipate in the family group chat. I'm not upending that and causing her the added stress, work, isolation if it fractures the family groip chat, and signing myself up for all that extra work to try and drag people to new platform and hold their hand through the bumps... just so I can be comfortably principled, using the best option, and trying to prevent Meta from getting info about me for a few more years that they likely are getting through other means.
I'll revisit as the elders age off.
I care about my privacy, but I've thought long and hard about my specific threat model and what is and isn't important enough for me to make a big deal out of. For me, this is an acceptable sacrifice.
Doesn't have to be that way for anyone else. Just has to work for me and my life. And it does.
Ultimately I'm just trying to give reasons why people are still on these platforms. I took the initial comment I responded to at face value. I'm not really looking to debate here, and my opinions don't invalidate anyone else's.
i do music and comedy, a bunch of venues, groups, bands, jams, open mics operate through whatsapp. "privacy" doesn't really blip most of their radars tbh and I want the gigs
Because everyone else is on WhatsApp. I moved most of my friends to Signal but I'm in some clubs that use WhatsApp groups to communicate. Yes, I could leave but then I wouldn't know about many activities.
I've tried moving to signal but at most I have about 3 friends that use it with me, it simply not possible to dump it completely and remain in contact with all my friends and family members.
I told my people it's Signal or you're simply not hearing from me.
Sigh.
Me: Sup
AI Summary: What is going on my friend?
I don't get it either. They spend millions to extract 2 words from a 3 words sentence?
encrypted my ass. this is to everyone who dares to think that encryption is worth anything in a closed source app, developed by facebook no less. it is used as a buzzword, no more
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
