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Syntonic
Artcore Addict
Registered: May 2006
Location: Journey...On A...
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Aug-28-2021 18:25
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Lira
Ancient BassAddict
Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Brasília, Brazil
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Ever since I became a professor, social media has pretty much been the only way I've managed to keep in touch with everyone not on campus, with family time (and, in the past, gym workouts) being what I did in my free time.
So I use Facebook to see how my friends (on-line and otherwise) are doing, and I have an Instagram for the-band-I-might-have-one-day, and I sometimes lurk because my younger friends seem to use it far more than Facebook. I don't mind politics unless they start flooding my newsfeed, and that's when I put someone on snooze. I've unfollowed very few people.
I am, however, vehemently opposed to WhatsApp. The whole designed seemed irreparably flawed from the start, and there's absolutely no way in hell I'll ever trust that (or similar apps, like Telegram). The surge in fake news here in Brazil seems to have confirmed my fears, as it's way worse than in any other social media platform.
___________________
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Aug-28-2021 22:36
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Syntonic
Artcore Addict
Registered: May 2006
Location: Journey...On A...
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Aug-29-2021 00:14
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Lira
Ancient BassAddict
Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Brasília, Brazil
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quote: | Originally posted by Silky Johnson
But isn't Whatsapp owned by FB now? Does it matter if you use it or not? |
Yeah, they're all part of the same ecosystem, but the way they work is quite different.
On Facebook, most of the time, if you want to share something with your friends and it comes from a specific page or website, Facebook leaves a "paper trail" attached to the post. Is it from a Facebook page? There'll likely be a link to the original content. An external website? There'll be a link. You can check what the source is, and if it violates Facebook's code of conduct, it's usually taken care of.
On WhatsApp, however, people usually forward files, rather than links. The videos and photos are on your phone, and hell knows where they came from if a reverse search yields no result. When people forward messages, the "paper trail" is usually just a phone number. So these external checks are much more difficult.
As someone whose family is prone to QAnon beliefs, and whose colleagues often border Bernie Bro territory, it didn't take them long to start showing fake news long before Donald Trump coined the term, and feel kind of hurt when I shrug it off. I don't intend to confront any of them as they're all dear to me, no matter how hard they believe Bolsonaro faked his own death just to hurl zombie puppies at 5G vaccines and overthrow the government... or something along these lines. I just can't be arsed
quote: | Originally posted by 72hrpartyanimal
Very interesting. This is the first I've heard of this. I use WhatsApp to communicate with a group of friends. Only because we have a few that live overseas. Or perhaps we use it when we're traveling (we're too cheap to upgrade our cell phone plans for int'l travel).
So what's the backgrund/conspiracy theories on WhatsApp? |
It's simply a "closed system" prone to disinformation (it's not public, it can't be moderated, yet you can forward messages en masse). The Guardian published a rather long account of how WhatsApp is a massive failure as a social platform (in a way ICQ and MSN Live Messenger never were, funnily enough).
___________________
Indiana Clones Upcoming Sets
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Aug-30-2021 05:40
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SYSTEM-J
IDKFA.
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Manchester
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Aug-30-2021 09:21
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SYSTEM-J
IDKFA.
Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Manchester
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Aug-30-2021 14:43
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Lira
Ancient BassAddict
Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Brasília, Brazil
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quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
How is forwarding bullshit on WhatsApp any different to forwarding it via text message? In both cases you can send links if you know someone's phone number. |
There are a few key differences between SMS and WhatsApp messages, which explain why, in good faith, so many people install the app on their phones (otherwise it would be redundant, as I am sure you would agree). I am sure the designers had the best of intentions when they released the product, it just so happens that its unintentional flaws can be easily gamed in middle-income countries:
Until very recently, it was much easier (and cheaper) to send WhatsApp messages in bulk than it was to send the same amount of text messages, which is why WhatsApp has been so harmful to Brazilian democracy. In order to attract more clients, telecommunications companies often waive all fees related to WhatsApp use, so it's more akin to spam mail than text messages (you seldom have to pay to send out e-mails). So, although we are much poorer, WhatsApp use in Brazil and Mexico is as widespread as in the UK (roughly 51% of Brazilians, 48% of Mexicans, and 45% of Britons use it). This creates a huge social network that is cheap, convenient, and private.
Also, you can attach videos and photos direclty to WhatsApp messages (as far as I know, you can just paste a link on text messages and hope the receiver clicks through). And, quite often, you have no idea who the sender of spam mail is, and therein lies the biggest trap: you only need one person gullible enough to forward a politically charged video in a group chat to spread it more effectively. You often know who sent it to you, so you tend to let your guard down. It's already downloaded to your phone by the time you watch it anyway. That just doesn't happen with text messages or spam.
So, unlike Twitter and Facebook, which successfully banned Donald Trump, WhatsApp is more vulnerable to these malicious actors. We have been very clumsy in our attempts to defend our institutions from them, as some judges have actually attempted to block WhatsApp in the past, a hopeless attempt if there has ever been one.
Now, I'm not blaming WhatsApp for all our woes, but some minimal non-intrusive moderation would go a long way. Until then, I really feel the cons outweigh the pros in here... and it really is cons we're talking about here, in a way.
quote: | Originally posted by JEO
Exactly. The content of text messages too should be actively monitored by someone. You never know what kind of lies are spreading via those things. |
And, Jeo, I'm actually happy for Finland because your deadpan remark is probably a sign that you guys have been successfully battling misinformation. I come from a country much more similar to the US when it comes to seeing hordes of protesters fuelled by misinformation storming public buildings. We're bracing ourselves for something along these lines next week, actually, as Bolsonaro is now threatening he will either be arrested or killed if he isn't reelected... and intelligence services are now scrambling to deal with the mobilisation via WhatsApp.
I'm aware Finnish democracy must have its problems, but if this isn't one of them, I guess it comes to show how solid it is
quote: | Originally posted by Silky Johnson
Yeah a bunch of my friends and I use WhatsApp exclusively for group chats. Signal too. |
Hmm... Never used Signal, and it isn't much popular here, apprently. It seems Telegram is becoming a haven for extremists here too, but I've yet to see something dodgy on the app.
___________________
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Aug-30-2021 19:29
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