Advantages of using Whatsapp for the hobby. Are there any?

[hungry101]

I have Whatsapp on my smart phone. I use it primarily to keep in touch with my friends from Latin America. I see that in other countries a lot of clients and SPs communicate and set up dates with Whatsapp. Do any indies or agencies use it in Montreal? Are there any privacy or cost advantages?

• 
  What are the privacy advantages?
  Would this be a good way to use a business smart phone and hide hobby appointments from your employer?
  What are the cost advantage or disadvantages?
  Do any agencies or indies make appointments using this app in Montreal?
  If not, why not?
  What do you know that is good or bad about this app?

 

[neverbored]

From what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong), WhatsApp uses Internet to carry the communication instead of the traditional telephony carriers. This is the main reason why its so economical to use when communicating with people abroad right? However, even if the content of the communication are in theory encrypted, the actual call transmission can link both parties as it actually needs a valid phone number to register.

Personally, ever since Facebook bought it I stopped using it and switched over to Telegram.

No matter what solution you decide to go with, its always gonna require the other party using the same platform; this is not the case.


What are the privacy advantages?
Owned by Facebook, this is probably questionable

Would this be a good way to use a business smart phone and hide hobby appointments from your employer?
Can't easily track the contents of the message, but under subpoena, they might be able to get the phone numbers from the parties involved

What are the cost advantage or disadvantages?
It a free app, and is cost effective for people that have SMS quotas (rarely the case in most places now)

Do any agencies or indies make appointments using this app in Montreal?
If they use a burner phone, no point in using WhatsApp

What do you know that is good or bad about this app?
I personally find it obsolete especially since Facebook owns it now


Again, I might be wrong but would also appreciate insight from others on this.

-nb

 

[Big_jo]

If you want something for hobby, go for text plus. It's an app that works with data , you will have an virtual cell number for yourself which can be used to call and text. It's free, can not be traced back to you

 

[Kasey Jones]

Have a look at Signal... open source, auto-delete, servers don't store headers... better than WhatsApp but like all these apps, both need to be on same platform...

 

[neverbored]

I kinda like just using BurnerApp. You have to pay for credits, but I've found it to be very convienient and can generate numbers in any any area code.
Great when traveling and I use it a lot for when I sell or buy stuff on lespac

 

[transatlantic]

Don't think Whatsapp makes sense. It needs to verify against a mobile phone. If you use a burner, that defeats the point of Whatsapp. If you are using Whatsapp with your real phone, you need to give out your real phone# to SPs.

 

[neverbored]

right.

Its basically adding a level of complication without any added security

 

[Gobroncosgo]

WA is crucial if you have SMS charges for texting to US or friends in other countries. There it's a lifesaver. It's not a hobby friendly app since it verifies against your cell #.

 

[jalimon]

WA bypass telephone number in many country. In mexico you very often see only the whatsapp number in any adds instead of a phone number. And I am not talking about SP adds, any adds for any services. And many locals only communicate between themselves with WA.

Don't agency refuse message from app? James mentioned he does.

Cheers,

 

[ssj3]

Telegram is the way to go

 

[Maria Divina]

Whatever you are using as a secondary phone number (real or burner) I strongly suggest to use it on 2 completely different devices.

This way, your regular contacts and your "hobby' contacts won't ever be mixed... so your social media related to your "2 lives" as well.

I am a bit maybe too much taking precautions but just face what it is happening presently going thru the borders.....
Better be safe than sorry. Take care everyone xox

 

[neverbored]

WA bypass telephone number in many country. In mexico you very often see only the whatsapp number in any adds instead of a phone number. And I am not talking about SP adds, any adds for any services. And many locals only communicate between themselves with WA.

Don't agency refuse message from app? James mentioned he does.

Cheers,

Pardon my ignorance as I don't use whatsapp, but you get a number? I thought it was bound to your cel