Don’t use meta anything
So the bottom line is don't use WhatsApp contacts manager? Got it.
Is this deshittification?
Oooor it's a change being made by Meta to ensure that all your contact details are entered into a platform owned by them (since the underlying phone OSes have made scraping that data harder in recent versions), so they can more efficiently mine your data so Zuck can afford another yacht.
I'd like to think it's a user benefit, but I mean, historically.... it wont't be. (Yes they claim it's encrypted, but I don't trust Meta one bit to still not have some way to use this data for their benefit.)
I'd like to think it's a user benefit, but I mean, historically.... it wont't be. (Yes they claim it's encrypted, but I don't trust Meta one bit to still not have some way to use this data for their benefit.)
Eh, I would actually believe this is purely user driven. Their solution doesn't sound like it will work differently in Europe vs the rest of the world, and if their claims about it being encrypted and only user accessible are true, there is fundamentally no benefit to them from a data harvesting stand point.
They also face a lot of competition in the messaging space, moreso than any of their other apps, which will generally incentivize them to be more user focused.
Encrypt them?
They already are.
I don't think so. Metadata is unencrypted (i.e. your contacts, who sends messages to whom and how often and when).
Messages itself are encrypted.
Am I wrong?
That is what the article is explaining. The contact names and details are encrypted.
Perhaps the call times are exposed but it seems it would be difficult or impossible for them to connect this with a human identity.
Use Signal if you have concerns about WhatsApp.
Thanks.
That is what the article is explaining.
The planned improvements are a good thing. I thought we talked about the status right/ until now.
Also: What does it mean then Meta (the company) isn't eager to collect this data (anymore)? This doesn't fit my world view of this company.
It uses signal Protocol so it has the same design defect for leaking meta data.
Both know who and when you are talking too. And thats really all the data the security apparatus cares about.
I guess that's right. Although I'm (most likely) not a person of interest for any secret service. But the data could be interesting for marketing and insurance companies.
Is that really how it works? I thought signal protocol was about just how the encryption worked, not what is encrypted?
I am not following this.
Content of msg is encrypted and everything within but signal server knows when you talk to your girl becuase the server has to route it.
So anytime you initiate a chat, they know that yall doing something.
This meta data is what the game is all about tho.
and yet the only thing they provide upon a court request is the last time you were online and the date you created your account https://signal.org/bigbrother/
So meta doesnt know who and when you are talking to?
They cannot see phone numbers of contacts, no.
Is the code open ?
Of course not. And the often repeated "they use Signal protocol" means diddly squat because the code is closed source. They took Signal protocol at some point, forked it and did good knows what with it since experts cannot review it. 🙄
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
