@Core_of_Arden@Appoxo The only people I know who don’t use WhatsApp are the very technophobic or rich, antisocial Apple users. It’s ubiquitous. It is the standard method of international texting. I know a few people who use Signal (mostly who work in or around FOSS or security) and a few who use Telegram. They’re all nerds. But friends and family and social contacts and to a degree companies are WhatsApp.
The US is one continent sized country. The ROTW is mostly lots of small countries and lots of movement between them. That means that SMS costs money, sometimes a lot of money, and the Google and Apple systems mean you need to know what type of device the recipient has. If you don’t know, don’t care, and don’t want to know, then you WhatsApp them.
I’m sorry I have to spell this out for you, but in other parts of the world WhatsApp is The messenger. As in, since companies are easier to approach though it than, say email.
Bundle that with the network effect, and it’s effectively self-ostracising to go without.
Having said that, I still do that, but I’m antisocial, and am okay with being excluded from group chats. But at least I don’t go around showcasing my ignorance/incomprehension at how other people do things differently.
USA =/= rest of the world.
You are right - USA is not the rest of the world… What’s your point?
@Core_of_Arden @Appoxo The only people I know who don’t use WhatsApp are the very technophobic or rich, antisocial Apple users. It’s ubiquitous. It is the standard method of international texting. I know a few people who use Signal (mostly who work in or around FOSS or security) and a few who use Telegram. They’re all nerds. But friends and family and social contacts and to a degree companies are WhatsApp.
The US is one continent sized country. The ROTW is mostly lots of small countries and lots of movement between them. That means that SMS costs money, sometimes a lot of money, and the Google and Apple systems mean you need to know what type of device the recipient has. If you don’t know, don’t care, and don’t want to know, then you WhatsApp them.
I’m sorry I have to spell this out for you, but in other parts of the world WhatsApp is The messenger. As in, since companies are easier to approach though it than, say email. Bundle that with the network effect, and it’s effectively self-ostracising to go without.
Having said that, I still do that, but I’m antisocial, and am okay with being excluded from group chats. But at least I don’t go around showcasing my ignorance/incomprehension at how other people do things differently.
Well, how did it become that way? If it is that way…
And don’t worry, you are excused.