Why I don't use WhatsApp

Quick summary: because Meta (a.k.a. Facebook) has been loading malware onto Android devices in order to spy on users.

In the past year I've (finally!) deleted my Facebook account, and have never used Instagram. The only remaining Meta product I've used has been Whatsapp, because it's being used by friends, family, and some of my kids' groups. I justified it because it'd be just too difficult to contact those people, tell them why I was leaving, and - in the case of my family - migrate them to another service.

Reading this in the news has changed my mind, however:

Meta pauses mobile port tracking tech on Android after researchers cry foul

"Port tracking tech" means, in this case, installing malware on your phone to snoop on your browsing habits in other apps, regardless of your privacy settings 💀

From the above article:

Security researchers say Meta and Yandex used native Android apps to listen on localhost ports, allowing them to link web browsing data to user identities and bypass typical privacy protections.

So I'm getting in touch with all the people I chat with on WhatsApp, explaining why I'm leaving, and pointing them to better services where I can be reached (like Signal and Mattermost).

Friends don't let friends use Meta.