Is it worth waiting for WhatsApp interoperability anymore ? Is it ever coming ?
Is it worth waiting for WhatsApp interoperability anymore ? Is it ever coming ?
I really need to get in contact with some people on WA and have some groups to join and have been waiting for interoperability to get going so I don't have to use zuck's app . But the said date march has long passed and I can't find shit on it or why it didn't happen anywhere . I have yesterday downloaded the apk from WA's official site and is in half a heart to install it . I know everything I say there should be considered public but besides that and the app knowing my IP and contacts is there any hidden data collection I should be aware of ? Or should I wait some more which I don't think I can as am loosing patience lol . Also will it even be global or support apps that are really privacy focused unlike the usual suspects like TG or signal ?
Edit : Seems like I have to suck up to Meta as our lizard lord intended . As WhatsApp is ad free (to my knowledge) it is all but confirmed they are selling data . In my opinion Meta is more evil than google as google is at least taking some hits and hosting things on lose that we can access without making them a dime (newpipe -youtube, google search engine - unlock with firefox) and they fund Firefox and maintain AOSP, meanwhile all meta do is making their service a thing which we can't leave and steal fuckin everything they do absolutely no good whatsoever and have no redeeming qualities and people or laws don't give them enough shit for it . People may say "if you don't like meta just don't use it" well guess what we can't stop it as almost everything needs their platforms nowadays . Sorry that turned into a rant figured .
Groups are not (yet) supported by the proposed interoperability anyways... and don't hold your breath. It will likely take years for Meta and the EU in courts before they stop with their malicious compliance.
There are working WA bridges for XMPP and Matrix though if you are willing to selfhost.
But matrix one still needs me to make an WhatsApp acc and run the app on a device no ? I don't see much point then to go through that amount of work. Idk how XMPP does it, is it similar ?
Also interoperability between XMPP/Matrix and WB would be dope if it ever happens .
Both bridges require you to log into WA with the official app once every 4 weeks or so. You can put the app in a seperate profile and completely kill its process during this time or have an old device somewhere in a closet that you power on now and then. This is possible now since WA improved their multi-client support (maybe 1 year ago or so?).
That said, don't expect anything other than basic text chat to work via these bridges.
Are you in Europe? I haven't downloaded WhatsApp but it was supposed to get a "third party tab" or something. No idea what happened with that.
Also I made the switch to Signal years ago and told my friends: either you switch or we use email. Everybody hates email, so the good friends installed signal. Acquaintances didn't and they stayed acquaintances.
Now I also made more friends who care about privacy (or me) enough to install signal.
It's kinda up to you, which guns you stick to.
P.S Fuck Facebook. I hope the EU fines them for hampering interoperability.
I hope the EU fines them for hampering interoperability.
This depends on there being enough greens and liberals in the European Parliament.
PSA: EU citizens, you may still have an hour or so to go out and VOTE. It matters.
European citizens laughed when Trump won, but the ridicule turned into laziness. "It can't happen here, there's no need to vote".
I bet we'll have a right wing parliament and council, but as the Germans say " hope dies last".
Use matrix and bridges. Tchncs.de has a whatsapp bridge for free I think. Please consider donating because running this stuff is expensive. There are others as well but tchncs is the only one I know. I run bridges for myself and friends but they also chip in.
Hey I'm sorry to ask but can you hand hold me through the process cause their brief discriprition went over my head lol . So I download WhatsApp and make an acc and download matrix and make an acc and then link it ? Can I then use matrix as a kind of WhatsApp client ? Can I talk to random users or join WhatsApp groups like I can in the official app ? I'm so confused lol . Also can I just delete the WhatsApp app after connecting and not worry about it ever ?
can you hand hold me through the process
I can try but I cant promise anything
So I download WhatsApp and make an acc and download matrix and make an acc and then link it ?
You dont download matrix. You download a client for the matrix protocol. The client is your choice but will make a huge impact on your experience. I use fluffychat but I also have element as backup.
You make an account on a matrix instance. tchncs.de is the best public one I can suggest.
You then join their rooms and start asking people for help, politely. I havent used their process but i use the exact same bridges and they work.
Can I then use matrix as a kind of WhatsApp client ?
Whatsapp, signal, telegram and matrix in one app, yes
Can I talk to random users or join WhatsApp groups like I can in the official app ?
I dont know if you need to use a whatsapp client to join a group but you can def talk to anyone and in any group from my experience. this is open source stuff which you need to be aware of. if you're not the product and you dont pay them, then you should help any way you can and be very patient.
Also can I just delete the WhatsApp app after connecting and not worry about it ever ?
You cant "not worry about it ever" on anything, ever. Either you pay someone to make your experience perfect (the mechanic that repairs your bike or your car) or you help yourself and ask for help politely.
Whatsapp can lose the connection (happened to me once in like 3 months) and you will need a whatsapp client to reconnect and then you can forget it again.
Also, its not a billion dollar company doing this so it needs testing and you're the tester so consider submitting your experiences in the form of (rational) bug reports or similar.
**TL;DR: FOSS software will never be "perfect". It is a community effort to improve it. You always pay in this world: Money, Privacy or Work. If you dont, someone else must.
Mar 25, 2024 —
... the Commission has granted Meta an extension of 6 months to comply with the interoperability obligation (Article 7 DMA)
Because of a “reasoned request” [from META]. ... Commission said it’s received and accepted [request] from Meta.
granted because it was:
“necessary to ensure effective interoperability and to maintain the necessary level of security, including end-to-end encryption”.
and after that, there will be another request and so on forever, they have alot of dough to burn.
Consider the level privacy of an interoperable / federated network is only as good as the node with the lowest level of privacy. The moment you connect to Meta infra, you're feeding it data, including but not limited to who you talked with, when you online, your message frequency, and possibly a whole lot more. Then they can start linking other bits to form a complete profile of you.
It is just slightly better than installing WA., and also part of tge reasons why many Mastodon and Lemmy server refuse to federate with Meta Threads.
is there any hidden data collection I should be aware of ?
Aka backdoors.
They played cat and mouse for a while, Facebook (Meta) moving the backdoor and NSO finding it again. I don't trust their software.WhatsApp uses Signal protocol, might try getting your friends/groups to switch over to the better app?
They won't lol everything is too integrated for anyone to switch and no one except me gives a fuck about privacy in my friends circle and family .
Not just friends, but businesses and government offices where convincing is not even a possibility
Why is meta not being fined for violating DMA?
No one wants zuck to lead a lizard invasion .
I don't think so..
