Whatsapp privacy fails

[Chevron]

I use my mobile for both business and personal matters as do 99% of other users. So its not a matter of me already having given out my 'personal' number but me only having the one number. And no, the solution is not to have two numbers but to have better privacy settings on something like WhatsApp.

What i was suggesting is get another number for business purposes. I don't know 1 salesperson at my company, or with friends that only have one number. They keep a work number for clients and personal number for friends.

They all start out like you with one number then get fed up. They get a new number which only goes to close friends as the old number the clients already know. I even have friends in IT that do this so clients don't try get free support on weekends.

Anyway whatsapp has a privacy setting that you don't want to use. Block.

Its not that simple. When you do block them they accuse you of being rude and such. As one poster here already 'jokingly' said, he adds their numbers to promotional sites etc..

You will be surprised how p****ed off 'normal' everyday clients can get when you block them on a social media network. Some take it as a personal insult and some just go way over the top.

Its best to avoid a situations like these completely thus the reason for wanting more/better privacy on this kind of network.

What you do is create a template message "Unfortunately this is a social medium meant for personal use. If you need support please my email address blah blah".

Better yet get a second number.

 

[Chevron]

So you feel that because you don't care about keeping your number private that others have bullschit excuses to do so? Remind me again why you feel you can dictate to others?

Of course I care about keeping my number my private. if i don't want to speak to someone I won't. if I want to speak to them I'll give than my number.

There's no middle ground of "I want to communicate with you about this very important matter but not important enough to give you my number".

It's ridiculous.

 

[MKFrost]

Of course I care about keeping my number my private. if i don't want to speak to someone I won't. if I want to speak to them I'll give than my number.

There's no middle ground of "I want to communicate with you about this very important matter but not important enough to give you my number".

It's ridiculous.

You fail to see the point. Conversations by phone and conversations by means of an app is two entirely different things unless of course you are using both for the same purpose.

I use my phone for business like one would normally use a phone i.e. voice calls. I use the app for communicating with my family. I do not mix these i.e. do business on the app. The app is thus just for family and friends.

People I however do business with see me on the app due to my number identifying me to them and use the app as a communication method instead of using the phone as normal i.e. voice calls. When replying that they should call the office and or blocking them they flip their lids and or think you are a complete ass for not wanting to communicate via the app. If I could hide my number this would not happen and thus the reason for me saying that WhatsApp fails in regards to its privacy settings.

So its not a matter of wanting to communicate but not wanting to give out my number that I agree is stupid. However, being able to keep one's number private or to register under a username only has merit and should not just be shot down as bull**** excuses as you do.

Not everybody use tech in the same way and not everybody's needs are the same. All you do by shooting down others point of view is show your complete and utter ignorance as well as your narrow and limited view on the subject at hand.

 

[Flip-Flop]

You fail to see the point. Conversations by phone and conversations by means of an app is two entirely different things unless of course you are using both for the same purpose.

I use my phone for business like one would normally use a phone i.e. voice calls. I use the app for communicating with my family. I do not mix these i.e. do business on the app. The app is thus just for family and friends.

People I however do business with see me on the app due to my number identifying me to them and use the app as a communication method instead of using the phone as normal i.e. voice calls. When replying that they should call the office and or blocking them they flip their lids and or think you are a complete ass for not wanting to communicate via the app. If I could hide my number this would not happen and thus the reason for me saying that WhatsApp fails in regards to its privacy settings.

So its not a matter of wanting to communicate but not wanting to give out my number that I agree is stupid. However, being able to keep one's number private or to register under a username only has merit and should not just be shot down as bull**** excuses as you do.

Not everybody use tech in the same way and not everybody's needs are the same. All you do by shooting down others point of view is show your complete and utter ignorance as well as your narrow and limited view on the subject at hand.

When they app you just call them and charge them via call logs.

 

[Chevron]

You fail to see the point. Conversations by phone and conversations by means of an app is two entirely different things unless of course you are using both for the same purpose.

I use my phone for business like one would normally use a phone i.e. voice calls. I use the app for communicating with my family. I do not mix these i.e. do business on the app. The app is thus just for family and friends.

People I however do business with see me on the app due to my number identifying me to them and use the app as a communication method instead of using the phone as normal i.e. voice calls. When replying that they should call the office and or blocking them they flip their lids and or think you are a complete ass for not wanting to communicate via the app. If I could hide my number this would not happen and thus the reason for me saying that WhatsApp fails in regards to its privacy settings.

So its not a matter of wanting to communicate but not wanting to give out my number that I agree is stupid. However, being able to keep one's number private or to register under a username only has merit and should not just be shot down as bull**** excuses as you do.

Not everybody use tech in the same way and not everybody's needs are the same. All you do by shooting down others point of view is show your complete and utter ignorance as well as your narrow and limited view on the subject at hand.

I totally agree with you.

Hence maybe look at how other people have resolved the issue?

I have quite a few friends that send me their "personal" number a few months after working in client facing positions.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

I totally agree with you.

Hence maybe look at how other people have resolved the issue?

I have quite a few friends that send me their "personal" number a few months after working in client facing positions.

I think expecting the app to have a privacy setting is much more reasonable than expecting him to get another phone, or a new number.

 

[Chevron]

I think expecting the app to have a privacy setting is much more reasonable than expecting him to get another phone, or a new number.

It does. He doesn't wanna use it.

 

[Bona Botse]

What I did was I transferred my Whatsapp and Viber backups from my personal phone onto my business phone and I leave my personal phone at home. So friends and family can chat with me and Viber call me on my personal number, and my business contacts can't Whatsapp me. Bliss.

Hopefully the Samsung Note 4 or 5 will have dual-sim functionality by default.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

It does. He doesn't wanna use it.

Does blocking a number mean he can't see you on his contact list? If not, then no, it doesn't.

And having to block everyone is cumbersome rather than being able to choose who you want to contact from the start.

 

[Chevron]

Does blocking a number mean he can't see you on his contact list? If not, then no, it doesn't.

But that's different from privacy then.

And having to block everyone is cumbersome rather than being able to choose who you want to contact from the start.

But you do that when you hand out number. You choose who you hand your number out to.

 

[MKFrost]

But you do that when you hand out number. You choose who you hand your number out to.

You still miss the point. I cannot choose who I want to hand my number out to. All business contacts have it as its on all the contracts etc... So I have no control over that aspect.

Look we can debate this until the cows come home. As I said, try and not be so narrow minded to only see your own personal point of view. Above post being a good example.

The title of the thread was 'Whatsapp privacy fails' and I posted in regards to that in that yes, it does fail as it does not offer a setting whereby I can keep my details i.e. my number and or my identity private.

I know there are many alternative solution and I'm making use of this. I just wanted to share my experience from initially making use of WhatsApp as that is what the thread was supposed to be about.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

But that's different from privacy then.

How? That's the essence of privacy. Controlling who has access to what through which medium.

But you do that when you hand out number. You choose who you hand your number out to.

Doesn't mean I want that number to be available through every possible channel. As he explained, his number is used for business. Voice calls are the channel he's set up for this. He doesn't want WhatsApp to be automatically also open for this. It's an entirely reasonable expectation, imo.

 

[Chevron]

You still miss the point. I cannot choose who I want to hand my number out to. All business contacts have it as its on all the contracts etc... So I have no control over that aspect.

Look we can debate this until the cows come home. As I said, try and not be so narrow minded to only see your own personal point of view. Above post being a good example.

The title of the thread was 'Whatsapp privacy fails' and I posted in regards to that in that yes, it does fail as it does not offer a setting whereby I can keep my details i.e. my number and or my identity private.

I know there are many alternative solution and I'm making use of this. I just wanted to share my experience from initially making use of WhatsApp as that is what the thread was supposed to be about.

The point everyone else in the world has found a solution to the problem you're stubbornly clinging to.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

Agreed - then we would be able to use whatsapp on devices that don't have telephone numbers.

This existed long before WhatsApp came along, there were a number of mobile instant messaging services like Nimbuzz, Mxit and whatever else. It's because of the username authentication that people felt it too inconvenient.

Using your address book meant that there was no longer a need to manually add people who were already in your address book. They already have your number and you already have theirs, so what's the issue?

 

[bwana]

This existed long before WhatsApp came along, there were a number of mobile instant messaging services like Nimbuzz, Mxit and whatever else. It's because of the username authentication that people felt it too inconvenient.

Using your address book meant that there was no longer a need to manually add people who were already in your address book. They already have your number and you already have theirs, so what's the issue?

I thought I made it perfectly clear that my issue is whatsapp does not support tablets.

 

[MKFrost]

The point everyone else in the world has found a solution to the problem you're stubbornly clinging to.

Can you read? If so what does this mean....

I know there are many alternative solution and I'm making use of this. I just wanted to share my experience from initially making use of WhatsApp as that is what the thread was supposed to be about.

 

[Sherbang]

The point everyone else in the world has found a solution to the problem you're stubbornly clinging to.

Chevron, just because you are willing to dish out you phone number to every tom dick and sally doesn't mean we must all be expected to do so.

Wanting privacy is not a problem, it's not childish and it's a personal choice.
I chat to a few people from myBB on BBM now and then - I used to have my BBM pin in my sig.
I would never put my phone number in my sig though.
Aside from attracting spam messages and calls (which having a pin or username neatly avoids) I don't really want people from the forum calling me or even knowing my number.

Likewise, I sometimes sell things on Gumtree. I don't really want to give a stranger my phone number but it helps to be able to communicate with them when meeting up somewhere, and having a pin or username I can give them is convenient.

Just because you don't have a use for it doesn't make it childish or useless.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Seriously?! Again I say this, if someone gets hold of your number they can monitor your activities without you knowing! Now if whatsapp had a invitation setup that would be better, you find someone through your phonebook but they have to accept your invite before you can chat with them, that would be better.

 

[Chevron]

Seriously?! Again I say this, if someone gets hold of your number they can monitor your activities without you knowing! Now if whatsapp had a invitation setup that would be better, you find someone through your phonebook but they have to accept your invite before you can chat with them, that would be better.

So you change you status to stay "going to shop", "going to gym", "****ing the girlfriend"?

How does someone monitor your activities?

 

[Chevron]

Chevron, just because you are willing to dish out you phone number to every tom dick and sally doesn't mean we must all be expected to do so.

When did I ever say I do this? I just said either I want to talk to someone or not.

Wanting privacy is not a problem, it's not childish and it's a personal choice.
I chat to a few people from myBB on BBM now and then - I used to have my BBM pin in my sig.
I would never put my phone number in my sig though.

I have BBM and not even I would do that. You sure you value privacy as much as you say you do?

Aside from attracting spam messages and calls (which having a pin or username neatly avoids) I don't really want people from the forum calling me or even knowing my number.

Likewise, I sometimes sell things on Gumtree. I don't really want to give a stranger my phone number but it helps to be able to communicate with them when meeting up somewhere, and having a pin or username I can give them is convenient.

So you're comfortable enough meeting a total stranger, that could be a mugger, trust them enough to exchange goods and cash with them, but not your number?

Riiiiiiiiight.

Just because you don't have a use for it doesn't make it childish or useless.

I think you misunderstand the childish part.


As someone said earlier, he doesn't block people as some people don't like it. See now that's childish. If you don't want to chat to someone then tell them that.

Just be a grown up.