WhatsApp Launching Third-Party Chat Support Across EU Countries

[justanotherdave]

Thanks to the EU’s regulation that is forcing Meta’s hand to interoperable with third-party messaging apps, this security guarantee now means absolutely nothing.

End-to-end encryption is meaningless when one end is compromised. Either because a user has been maliciously duped into downloading a compromised third-party app that Meta now must interoperate with. Or due to government pressure on a third-party app that doesn’t have Meta’s legal resources to fight government coercion and overreach - ad hoc Chat Control.

Interesting because this is one of the arguments I’ve put forward against third-party App stores and people who claim (incorrectly, BTW) if you never download anything and stick to The App Store you’ll be safe.

You’re not safe if the other person’s device/Apps are compromised.

 

[bob24]

Thanks to the EU’s regulation that is forcing Meta’s hand to interoperable with third-party messaging apps, this security guarantee now means absolutely nothing.

End-to-end encryption is meaningless when one end is compromised. Either because a user has been maliciously duped into downloading a compromised third-party app that Meta now must interoperate with. Or due to government pressure on a third-party app that doesn’t have Meta’s legal resources to fight government coercion and overreach - ad hoc Chat Control.

Which is one reason why most other messaging Apps won’t enable interoperability with WhatsApp. The regulation is forcing Meta to make the option available, but not forcing any other messaging App to take it (and besides the valid security concern you mentioned, other platforms have no commercial interest in all connecting to WhatsApp and making it the de facto central infrastructure for messaging in Europe).

It seems like to me this regulation was not well thought through as it will either achieve nothing or consolidate Meta’s market position (which is the opposite of the stated intention).

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

I’m having flashbacks to when Microsoft acquired Skype and discontinued MSN Messenger with the excuse that you could talk to your MSN contacts via Skype

The integration was…. less than stellar, to be chsritable

 

[mrochester]

This regulation is only helpful if the messaging app you want to use has requested interoperability.

The choice to interoperate with WhatsApp is in the developers hands, not the consumers.

 

[beautyहमempty]

So does that mean that I send things for X via WhatsApp instead of just using X or what? Next thing is I post for instagram via WhatsApp for bluesky

 

[ignatius345]

I’m from the EU, and everyone I use WhatsApp with is from my same country. In Spain WhatsApp is the primary instant messaging app. That’s why I would be happy getting rid of the only Meta app I have to have installed…

Yeah, it's infecting phones here in the US as well. I've had to install it to keep up with a couple of groups recently and I do not like it.

 

[whatnot]

so will third party apps now have that AI doughnut floating about as well? make EU make Meta take it off my bloody screen!

 

[idrewuk]

Bring back iChat!

 

[Powerbooky]

Oh! I’m forced to use What’sApp because it’s a default messaging app in the UK but it becomes almost unusable when you deny it access to your contacts list. This could be great news for me.

EDIT: damn is this EU only? 🤬

And I'm expecting that Meta will make this upcoming interoperability as minimal as the regulations let them and make it just barely useable. Just like they do with the contact list.

Just ditch WhatsApp today... they made you think you need WhatsApp, you really don't. Many people tried this with me too... still I can reach them without this spying piece of crap. Even worse... we have kids and parents have setup WhatsApp chat groups for school, one for each class/year. The majority of texts that appears on these channels are not related to their kids and school class matters at all. For some reason there are a lot of "Karen's" that hijack any school related message on these chat groups to turn it into something about them instead. And those WhatsApp channels aren't even necessary... every school already has its dedicated platform/app for school communication.

 

[AdamHarbour]

Oh! I’m forced to use What’sApp because it’s a default messaging app in the UK but it becomes almost unusable when you deny it access to your contacts list. This could be great news for me.

Also that damn ever-present Meta AI button - be gone with you!

EDIT: damn is this EU only? 🤬

Forced to use ……. 🐂 💩

 

[iZac]

Forced to use ……. 🐂 💩

Ah - haha, yeah I'm being hyperbolic. When Meta changed the ToS for What’sApp a while back I managed to get most of my friends to migrate to Telegram or Signal or just regular old iMessage.

Some just wouldn’t move though, so there’s a couple left on What’sApp. So if I want to message them, that’s my only option.

 

[orange_galoshes]

About time and kudos to the EU for breaking these monopolies and opening up competition.

And it shows how weak the arguments have been from big tech that they can't open up their products.

Lets hope other countries join this EU in bringing more competition and choice for consumers.

 

[orange_galoshes]

EU, now do Apple and force them to open up their hardware. It's way past time Apple gives up their hardware monopoly with iOS and their other operating systems. Let's see some competition on hardware. Apple is no longer innovative and is gouging their captive customers.

The argument there is competition because you can switch to Android is nonsense. It's so difficult now to switch all the data and services it's like telling someone who lives in a country where everyone has to work at the same company that they can always move to another country.

 

[ypl]

Oh! I’m forced to use What’sApp because it’s a default messaging app in the UK but it becomes almost unusable when you deny it access to your contacts list. This could be great news for me.

Also that damn ever-present Meta AI button - be gone with you!

EDIT: damn is this EU only? 🤬

Why don't you limit access to selected contacts then? I created ~10 "shadow" contact entries (phone numbers only) that use WhatsApp and granted access to them only for WhatsApp.

 

[mrochester]

Ah - haha, yeah I'm being hyperbolic. When Meta changed the ToS for What’sApp a while back I managed to get most of my friends to migrate to Telegram or Signal or just regular old iMessage.

Some just wouldn’t move though, so there’s a couple left on What’sApp. So if I want to message them, that’s my only option.

Can you not text them?

 

[bob24]

Can you not text them?

One problem is WhatsApp groups which are used to organise events or share important updates. In some countries this is being used extensively. Text messages can’t really replace this, and email could to an extend replace it, but if you are the only one in the group who is refusing to use WhatsApp you will come across as the selfish one who wants everyone else to adjust to their preference.

Also depending on countries/lifestyle some people will have contacts with international phone numbers, and even if you have a plan with unlimited international text messages, your contacts most likely don’t and will be reluctant to text you back.

I don’t like WhatsApp myself but I think people who don’t live in countries whereby it has become the de facto SMS replacement realise how tricky it is do so without it (you can manage, but it will definitely make your life more difficult).

 

[DaveTheRave]

so will third party apps now have that AI doughnut floating about as well? make EU make Meta take it off my bloody screen!

Funny I’ve found WA to be superior for groups. It’s easier to see the members, there are clear admin controls, etc.

 

[iZac]

Can you not text them?

That’s not a bad idea. It worked with some, but others that don’t have any objection to What’sApp just restart conversations from there out of convenience or habit or stubbornness or something. I’m not one to turn it into ‘a thing’ with friends - but I sure can grumble about it on MacRumours!

 

[iZac]

Why don't you limit access to selected contacts then? I created ~10 "shadow" contact entries (phone numbers only) that use WhatsApp and granted access to them only for WhatsApp.

Interesting, I never thought of that!
I might give this a test while the UK government copy-paste the EU regulations to implement in their own Digital Competition Act - which in typical British fashion will take about two decades to be enacted.

 

[whatnot]

Funny I’ve found WA to be superior for groups. It’s easier to see the members, there are clear admin controls, etc.

which has nothing to do with that useless AI blot hovering like a bad omen.

 

[ypl]

Interesting, I never thought of that!
I might give this a test while the UK government copy-paste the EU regulations to implement in their own Digital Competition Act - which in typical British fashion will take about two decades to be enacted.

Seems like too late now (Meta has all your contacts already). Anyway, it seems a good idea to try it on principle - just to make life a bit harder for Zuck.

 

[JordiS]

We’re slowly walking towards message interoperability between all platforms. It will take a while, but it will eventually happen. Texting should work exactly as email, and this is why I don’t hate the EU or the DMA. It may not seem so given how often they screw up but they’re helping us reach that goal.

 

[sdz]

But…but…but…I was assured by all the experts that RCS was going to eliminate the need for multiple chat Apps. 🙄

what RCS? It isn't even offered when I try to message my mom.

 

[svish]

This is very interesting. Would have liked WhatsApp and iMessage support, but that is probably never going to happen.

 

[user1234]

We’re slowly walking towards message interoperability between all platforms. It will take a while, but it will eventually happen. Texting should work exactly as email, and this is why I don’t hate the EU or the DMA. It may not seem so given how often they screw up but they’re helping us reach that goal.

The issue with that is that email is insecure because of the interoperability. When you have to trust multiple parties to handle the encryption it is much more likely that at least one will do it wrong or give in to government pressure and allow access to everything passing through their platforms.

For a platform to be secure you have to be able to trust everyone involved including the provider of the platform, the applications used, and the other users you communicate with.

For email this was all considered too much of a hassle and email isn’t encrypted in any other way than while in transit and that is only if all servers it’s going through has support for it. For higher level of security users must make an effort to set up encryption that works with the other parties taking part in the exchange of messages.