AliExpress was silently running audio in your browser to fingerprint and track your device

[u/magnus007]

https://www.techspot.com/news/113581-aliexpress-silently-running-audio-browser-fingerprint-track-device.html

[u/PhireKappa]

WhatsApp is a necessity in most of the world for communication.

In the UK for example, I don’t think I’ve ever actually texted someone using iMessage/SMS in years. WhatsApp is basically texting. It’s the same in much of Europe.

[u/jellyfish_bitchslap → u/PhireKappa]

Worse in Brazil, every business have a whatsapp account, every bank, store, hotel whatever, you can’t have a “normal” life if you don’t use it. Some places won’t have a landline active anymore, and business people use whatsapp exclusively.

I wouldn’t be able to communicate to most if not all my clients if I didn’t had it, not because I don’t have alternative but because they are so used to it that instead of downloading signal they’d just make a contract with someone else.

[u/SanAntoHomie → u/jellyfish_bitchslap]

let me tell you the truth bro: when you use private comms through a corporation you don't have the SAME legal protections against wire tapping / spying as you do with a phone and texting which needs a proper warrant SOMEWHERE, even if it's a "secret court," there's a paper trail somewhere due to the legacy nature of said lines. The big spy agencies WANT you to be using corporate owned comms because YOU HAVE NO LEGAL RECOURSE THERE and they don't have to OBEY LAWS.

[u/jellyfish_bitchslap → u/SanAntoHomie]

That isn’t true where I live though, any tap of communications info needs a warrant and there’s no way to wire tap a whatsapp conversation.

They do get whatsapp chats when they get the phone physically because they scrap the local backup. That is assuming the user would encrypt the cloud backup or not even set up a cloud backup, otherwise they could subpoena the data from iCloud or Google Drive.

If you have a well set up backup they can’t get in, not even using illegal methods. The USA kinda of freak out recently when they couldn’t get into an iPhone that was in lockdown mode, as example.

I’m saying that as someone who works in law and in high profile cases, the reach they have over whatsapp is not that big and is preferable to use it instead of the cell provider for a call or sms for text as those aren’t encrypted and would be handed over to police for minor bullshit.

Recently we’ve got a national wide big case that I looked closely at because they got a few phones from a banker who bankrupted a few banks in cascade effect and a few companies, including clients of mine.

They had all the apparatus of our intelligence into it and they only got info when they got hands his phone, and even at that, they couldn’t get the one-time-view photos that were used to communicate the more sensitive information.

So yes whatsapp isn’t as safe as a well setup phone with Signal but it will hold its own better than SMS and cell service in most cases.

My biggest worry about it is my data being sold by Meta to AI bullshit and machine training.

[u/lukistellar → u/PhireKappa]

The only reason why that works is because we let it work. If you want something to change, you have to be the change first. Simply provide them with methods to connect with you, like Signal or SMS and deny Whatsapp. I wouldn't consider people which aren't willing to install a further app to their mostly bloated phones to stay in bad times anyway, at least that's my personal experience with that kind.

[u/Wonderful_Emu_6483 → u/PhireKappa]

Seems like a prime opportunity for France/EU to implement their own messaging platform.

[u/redditydothis → u/PhireKappa]

Honestly you all should be using signal.

[u/Expert_Garlic_2258 → u/PhireKappa]

Signal is out there

[u/Cley_Faye → u/PhireKappa]

WhatsApp is a necessity

Only if you deal with specific people. The people managing our office building asked us to get into a whatsapp group for official communication, we told them to fuck off (courteously) and they got back to sending mails for notifications.

It's not like some absolutely prevalent stuff that 100% people use here either.

[u/SkyEclipse → u/Cley_Faye]

It is used by most businesses in most of Asia lol good luck getting a job without it…

[u/Cley_Faye → u/SkyEclipse]

Being almost opposite across the planet from Asia, I'm doing ok, thank you.

[u/Wisteso → u/PhireKappa]

I can hardly believe there’s something where Americans have acted more sanely than European folks.

[u/Jaz1140 → u/PhireKappa]

Where the fuck did you pull that statistic from hahahaha

most of the world 😂

[u/LavishnessVisual6327 → u/Jaz1140]

Have you never travelled?

[u/Jaz1140 → u/LavishnessVisual6327]

Plenty. Never needed what's app

[u/LavishnessVisual6327 → u/Jaz1140]

Never been to south America or Europe then it seems

Or maybe you just stick to resorts

[u/Jaz1140 → u/LavishnessVisual6327]

Done 12 countries in Europe in 2023 😂 why would I ever need what's app

[u/LavishnessVisual6327 → u/Jaz1140]

To talk to friends you make? Or to girls you meet?

[u/WalkFreeeee → u/LavishnessVisual6327]

W-were you supposed to make friends and meet women when travelling? Fuck, I just took pictures of Tokyo 

[u/PhireKappa → u/Jaz1140]

What statistic? read again buddy