Fucking morons. I’ve been looking for a new apartment and messaging a ton of real estate agents lately, and WhatsApp just decided to block me for ‘suspicious activity.’ They already restricted my account a couple of days ago, and I almost missed an apartment viewing because of it. And I‘ve already done that for three moves before with zero issues. I live in a country where literally all communication with real estate agents happens on WhatsApp, so now I’ll have to go out tomorrow and get a whole new phone number if they don’t unblock me or Im gonna end up on the street. Fucking morons. Fuck you, Crapsapp, and your piece-of-shit messenger

  • blitzen@lemmy.caEnglish
    91·
    1 month ago

    WhatsApp has market share from the momentum gained in countries that didn’t have free/cheap SMS. I too find it wild that it’s the default in most of the world, and it’s super shady and super proprietary. The messaging that we have in the US is far far far from perfect, but at least it’s not Facebook Chat.

    • BigDaddySlim@lemmy.worldEnglish
      28·
      1 month ago

      Plus in markets like Brazil, having unlimited use of WhatsApp services, including video calls, is a selling point for most cellular providers. You will have a data cap but could still video call your grandma on WhatsApp when you’re out of data. Every business has their WhatsApp number posted out front and on their websites/social media.

      For example, here is Claro, a large Brazilian phone company’s cheapest current plan, 36GB of data but unlimited WhatsApp usage and 5GB for social media.

      (Translated from Firefox)

      • Amdouni@lemmy.mlEnglish
        4·
        1 month ago

        Crazy, in my county it’s almost the same but Tik Tok instead of WhatsApp

        • Vittelius@feddit.orgEnglish
          6·
          1 month ago

          It (potentially) allows them to charge at both ends. I don’t know if that’s what happens in Brasil specifically but it happens in a couple of countries.

          The providers charge the users for the data use and the services for being exempt from the data caps.

          • BigDaddySlim@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 month ago

            I betcha this is the answer, they’re probably doing that as a deal with the telecom companies because WhatsApp what’s the market share and control, so that’s why they agree to it.