There are apps for almost everything we can think of, but one of the apps that most of us have installed on our phones is WhatsApp. Although there are many alternatives available, the popularity of the Meta messaging platform in much of the world (and especially in Europe) is undeniable.
Although I started using WhatsApp as my primary messaging app over a decade ago, today I left out the Meta messaging app favor alternatives like Telegram and Signal. In this article, I explain the reasons why.
Little by little, I stopped using WhatsApp, Meta’s messaging app
Something I consider important to be clear about when we talk about messaging apps is that WhatsApp is a completely safe alternative: The conversations we have using the platform are end-to-end encrypted and no one else can read them. The reasons I left the Meta platform aside have nothing to do with this.
By now we have all heard of it Privacy issues related to MetaInstagram or Facebook owner: It’s no secret that Meta apps and services collect a huge amount of user data, which I’m not comfortable with. This is the main reason I left WhatsApp behind.
Another reason that made me start using Telegram more was the application possibilities. If you are a user of the app, you know about Telegram bots: we can find bots for practically everything we can think of, from bots to convert files to reminder bots, among others.
In addition to the above, Telegram has always had more options related to privacy. For example, with Telegram it was possible to adjust very precisely who could see our profile picture and the time of the last connection using exceptions when WhatsApp did not yet have this function.
The Meta app has been updated with many new features, although Telegram still has things that WhatsApp lacks. One of them is the username, which allows us to be in contact with other users without having to provide our phone number. Fortunately, usernames will soon arrive on WhatsApp.
Spam is another problem of WhatsApp: You have probably received several times a message from a stranger offering you a supposed job or something like that. WhatsApp scams are quite common and we have already mentioned some of the most widespread examples, such as the case of Rosa Caro Serrano’s message.
Abandoning WhatsApp was something gradual and not a firm decision: I simply started using other alternatives and realized that I was using WhatsApp less and less. I also recently started using Signala great option if you’re concerned about your privacy (it doesn’t collect any data). Today, I barely use WhatsApp, although I still have the app installed for those occasions when I can’t use Telegram or Signal.
Of course, everyone’s particular situation is different and the messaging app you choose This will largely depend on what app your friends and family are using.. The case of Signal is more extreme (today few people use the application), but today it is very common to find people who use Telegram.
Cover Image | Microsoft Designer Image Creator
In Xataka Android | In-depth comparison of messaging apps on Android: WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram and LINE face to face
