WhatsApp seems to scan my messages for personalized ads (opens in new tab)

(twitter.com)

4 pointsypeter4y ago13 comments

13 comments

pndy4y ago

What stops you from changing the service and suggesting same thing to your friends and family? There are alternatives around

ypeterOP4y ago

I do use Signal. But unfortunately I lack convincing power to make everyone else use Signal.

But this is not about alternatives to WhatsApp, imo it's weird that this even happens/is possible.

hans_castorp4y ago

What do you expect from Facebook? They make their money with advertising, of course they will exploit and capitalize everything that gets send through their channels.

1 more reply

swiley4y ago

> it's weird that this even happens/is possible.

It’s not. This will happen with any chat app that is locked to a single service. Stop using those.

1 more reply

wartijn_4y ago

Are you sure you didn't see any ads about backpacks before?

ypeterOP4y ago

Yes, I'm sure, not even camping related ads. I'm a hotel guy.

swiley4y ago

Smartphone chat apps are not secure. Smartphones apps are much more like web pages than desktop apps and should be treated like web pages.

If you have a secret to keep don’t share it with a phone.

hans_castorp4y ago

There are plenty of secure alternatives to WhatsApp (Threema, Signal, Matrix just to name a few)

swiley4y ago

WhatsApp used to be one of those and it changed. With the exception of matrix there’s nothing to stop the same thing from happening with the others.

hans_castorp4y ago

TL/TR: stop using WhatsApp

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

13 comments

pndy4y ago

What stops you from changing the service and suggesting same thing to your friends and family? There are alternatives around

ypeterOP4y ago

I do use Signal. But unfortunately I lack convincing power to make everyone else use Signal.

But this is not about alternatives to WhatsApp, imo it's weird that this even happens/is possible.

hans_castorp4y ago

What do you expect from Facebook? They make their money with advertising, of course they will exploit and capitalize everything that gets send through their channels.

1 more reply

swiley4y ago

> it's weird that this even happens/is possible.

It’s not. This will happen with any chat app that is locked to a single service. Stop using those.

1 more reply

wartijn_4y ago

Are you sure you didn't see any ads about backpacks before?

ypeterOP4y ago

Yes, I'm sure, not even camping related ads. I'm a hotel guy.

swiley4y ago

Smartphone chat apps are not secure. Smartphones apps are much more like web pages than desktop apps and should be treated like web pages.

If you have a secret to keep don’t share it with a phone.

hans_castorp4y ago

There are plenty of secure alternatives to WhatsApp (Threema, Signal, Matrix just to name a few)

swiley4y ago

WhatsApp used to be one of those and it changed. With the exception of matrix there’s nothing to stop the same thing from happening with the others.

hans_castorp4y ago

TL/TR: stop using WhatsApp

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse