you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 108 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

They are basically at war with the US and there is this piece of US Tech that nearly everyone is carrying around and that can access their communications, precise location, microphone and camera.

It's also owned by a company, Meta, that has a history of being used as a tool to manipulate public opinion. I have no particular sympathy for Iran's leadership but I can understand why they would advice that (and I don't think WhatsApp is the only way for people to communicate with the outside world).

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Okay so they uninstall WhatsApp? What operating systems are they using and what countries are the manufacturers for those based in?

  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

    I get what you mean and it's a fair point. But I would still go with Meta as the most immediate threat in a war with the US.

    As the ignorant I am, my understanding is that the phone manufacturer has a level of control on the way Android works and so it wouldn't be as easy for Google to access any individual Samsung or Xiaomi phone as it is for Meta with WhatsApp, an app they fully control with permissions to use (way too many) phone features regardless of brand.

    Plus, getting both Google and Apple to cooperate and coordinate sounds harder to me than just going to one company, that is basically controlled by only one person.

  • source
  • parent