this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2024
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Linux
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I think there's value in pushback against popular but problematic software. Some people just don't realize that, for example, WhatsApp is owned entirely by Meta and is known to collaborate with law enforcement, which are two facts that entirely undermine its main selling point.
Yes and if someone was looking for advice in general then it would be appropriate. Or if this were a security sub. Or, if you had a solution available and included a warning parenthetically as a courtesy.
But responding to a request for help with telling the person they should not do what they want to do is a tired old obnoxious cliché and nobody appreciates it. It’s universally hated.
Privacy is not the point of OP's question. A good answer would've been saying there is no WhatsApp client for Linux, and then (optionally) explaining that Signal has a desktop client and is a also privacy-respecting choice. Insulting OP by stating "You should not use this or that" is such a StackOverflow thing and helps nobody.
Edit: Just to make sure: I've never used WhatsApp and never will use it.