I have been pro privacy and anti data harvesting for many years now, however it is becoming increasingly more difficult staying off some platforms. Mostly Meta.

Over the years I have convinced most of my friends and family to use Signal instead of WhatsApp. However, there are still chat groups that I am missing from, and trying to keep up to date with local events seems next to impossible without Facebook or Instagram.

Additionally, I am finding it more and more tiring to have the awkward “No I don’t have WhatsApp. No I don’t have Facebook either. Or Instagram, sorry. Do you want to try an app that you’ve never heard of to stay in contact with me?” every time I meet someone new.

I saddens me that it feels like the multi-billion dollar data harvesting companies are winning, but I no longer know if this is a hill that I’m willing to die on.

What are your thoughts on what we have to give up in our lives just to stay in control of our personal information?

  • @[email protected]
    15•7 months ago

    Don’t lose hope, resistance is NOT futile.
    There are third party frontends for most of Facebook/Meta services and desktop apps which can be used when there are no other options.

    Be aware of installing Whatsapp app on iOS and Android, there are vulnerabilities currently exploited by the israelian Pegasus. Nothing prevents anyone else from using these vulnerabilities.

      • @[email protected]
        6•7 months ago

        There was bibliogram (web) which I’ve used a couple of times, but it’s now discontinued.
        Your best bet here would be using instagram web as a webapp with a bunch of addons limiting their tracking. I dunno if there are some limitation on the instagram website, I don’t use instagram at all.

        By looking up on f-droid there is “barinsta” which received a cease and desist letter from a law firm representing Facebook. Maybe you can find an active fork of it.

        If you find something, please update us. There could be someone else in your same condition.

        • @[email protected]OPEnglish
          5•7 months ago

          Thanks. Yeah I found Barinsta but saw it hadn’t been updated in years. I’ll have a look around and report back.

          • @[email protected]
            4•7 months ago

            I’ve heard good things about Instander, but it may not satisfy all the requirements of an alternative frontend.