this is how you convince friends and family

Someone is sending you this article because they really want you to switch from WhatsApp. This is why.

Stop using WhatsApp

Probably someone sent you this article because they want you to exchange WhatsApp for another app like Signal. But why would you? WhatsApp has been pleasing for many years and you have all your contacts there.

What’s Wrong With WhatsApp?

You’ve probably heard of the statement: if you don’t pay for a product, then you are the product. This is also the case with WhatsApp. The app tries to find out as much as possible about you. Although the messages you send via WhatsApp are encrypted, and can therefore only be read by the sender and recipient, the app can see a lot of other information.

For example, the application wants to know all the phone numbers of your contacts, even people who do not have WhatsApp at all. The app also keeps track of who you have contact with and for how long, when you are online and what your profile picture is. The app collects what kind of device you use, how much battery you have left and which phone provider you use. That is a lot of information that you just give away to Facebook, the owner of WhatsApp.

What’s Wrong With Facebook?

You have probably also been using Facebook for many years and you trust that website now. However, that is not entirely correct. Facebook has regularly shown that it does not take the privacy of its users very seriously. Data not only remains with the company itself, but has already fallen into the hands of third parties several times.

But I have nothing to hide, do I?

Everyone has something to hide, but that’s a conversation for another moment. You may not care much about your privacy, but the person sending you this article is. They would love to keep talking to you, but preferably not give up their privacy for that.

Well, I think it’s not that bad

From February 8, the data from WhatsApp will also be exchanged with Facebook, so that an account on WhatsApp can be linked to a Facebook account. Fortunately, this does not happen in Europe, but who knows what will happen in the future. WhatsApp’s Dutch terms and conditions state: “Currently, Facebook does not use your WhatsApp account information to improve your experience on Facebook products or to provide you with a more relevant Facebook ad experience”. The most important words here are: ‘at the moment’.

Facebook wants to eventually combine messages from WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram into one large messaging service with probably all kinds of new conditions.

The goal of Facebook is to learn as much about you as possible and then use it for advertising. A WhatsApp co-founder, Brian Acton, left Facebook because he disagreed with how Facebook handled the privacy of its users. It was so bad for him that he lost $ 850 million in shares because he didn’t want to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

But everyone I know is on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is so big in the Netherlands that everyone can actually use it. That’s why this is the place to talk to your family, friends and more. That is super handy, but also the reason why switching from WhatsApp is very difficult.

The solution? Use (temporarily) two messaging apps. Leave WhatsApp and give that new app a try. Take a look who can be found. Chances are that you will automatically use WhatsApp less. And if you can be found on that other app, it will also be easier for your friends and family to switch.

Ok, but what should I use?

The person who sent you this article probably already has an app in mind. If we can give a tip, it is Signal. This is the most privacy conscious yet widely used messaging app on the market. The app is also open-source, which means that anyone can view the code that the app is made of. So there are never any secret back doors. We have listed the four alternatives to WhatsApp in a row.

Have you installed Signal and have you lost your way? No worries! Take a look at our Signal beginner’s guide, in which we explain everything. Have fun chatting securely!