this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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Privacy

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Apparently they're also pretty good at shooting people in other countries too.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Nearly everyone I know from India uses WhatsApp so this statement checks out. I wish my own friends and family would stop using iMessage/SMS and use something like Signal. The only other app they use is Snapchat and I kinda hate that one.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Snapchat is easily my least fav messaging app but yea, crazy popular where I am

People even use it as their main camera lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I thought Telegram is quite big there?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I take longer to answer stuff on WhatsApp

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Worth reading about for how Facebook locked in markets in developing countries

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_Zero

In particular, see the bits on 'Net neutrality criticism' and 'Impact'


TLDR: Accessing Facebook is easier or even free, accessing the rest of the internet costs money. Thus making it so poorer communities only use Facebook, and say that "Facebook is the Internet"

Few quotes:

In 2015, researchers evaluating how Facebook Zero shapes information and communication technology use in the developing world found that 11% of Indonesians who said they used Facebook also said they did not use the Internet. 65% of Nigerians, 61% of Indonesians, and 58% of Indians agree with the statement that "Facebook is the Internet"

[Internet.org] has been criticized for violating net neutrality, and by handpicking internet services that are included, for discriminating against companies not in the list, including competitors of Meta Platforms' subsidiary Facebook.[5][6] In February 2016, regulators banned the Free Basics service in India based on "Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations".[7] The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) accused Facebook of failing to pass on the four questions in the regulator's consultation paper and also blocking access to TRAI's designated email for feedback on Free Basics.[8][9] On February 11, 2016, Facebook withdrew the Free Basics platform from India.[10] In July 2017, Global Voices published the widespread[11][12] report[13][14] "Free Basics in Real Life" analyzing its practices in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and concluding it violates net neutrality, focuses on "Western corporate content",[11] and overall "it's not even very helpful".[12]

Here is a list of the countries, at least for Facebook Zero:

List of countries

 Jordan: Zain Jordan
 Albania: Telekom Albania; Vodafone Albania
 Algeria: Djezzy;[14] Mobilis
 Angola: Unitel S.A.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina: ERONET
 Bangladesh: Grameenphone
 Benin: MTN Group
 Cameroon: MTN Group
 Canada: Freedom Mobile
 Croatia: Bonbon;[15] Hrvatski Telekom;[16] MultiPlus Mobile;[17] Simpa;[18] Tomato;[19] Vipnet
 El Salvador: Movistar
 Fiji: Digicel
 France: SFR
 Germany: E-Plus[20] Ortel
 Greece: WIND Hellas[21]
 Georgia: MagtiCom
 Guinea: MTN Group
 Indonesia: XL Axiata
 Kenya: Airtel Kenya
 Kosovo: iPKO
 Malaysia: DiGi
 Morocco: Maroc Telecom
   Nepal: Ncell[22]
 Pakistan: Telenor Pakistan; Jazz Pakistan, Zong Pakistan[23][24][25][26]
 Palestine: Jawwal[27]
 Panama: Cable & Wireless Communications
 Philippines: Globe Telecom, Smart,[28]
 Poland: Play[29]
 Qatar: Vodafone Qatar
 Saudi Arabia: Saudi Telecom Company[30]
 South Africa: CellC (Discontinued the service), Vodacom, MTN Group
 Suriname: Digicel
 Trinidad and Tobago: Digicel
 United Arab Emirates: Du[31]
 United Kingdom: Three
 Zimbabwe: Telecel Zimbabwe
 Zambia: Airtel Zambia

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Just another casual reminder of who actually pulls the strings of global politics..

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

I work with a group based in India. They have a completely different culture around messaging. Things I would consider worthy of an email comes as a message from them (i.e. doesn't need immediate attention/ escalation).

They are also very formal when initiating new messages, almost like they're following the same social standards as if they met you in the hallway (e g. Hi, how are you? Btw, I have this thing I need to talk to you about.). Mind you, this is all the time after exchanging dozens of messages a day.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, just lends some credence to what Musk said.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

"Get things done" is incredibly baby-brained liberal idealism. Worse, it's awfully close to an Umberto Eco warning signal about "action for action's sake" which coincides with liberal idealism. That's why so much western entertainment is loaded with "the Adults In The Room" who "Get Shit Done" and that shit getting done is usually atrocities justified by the plot.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

None of these words are in the Bible of business and personal productivity. porky-scared

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Slap this fucker in irons. We don't need billionaire global politics - the game.

And while you're at it get musk too - for interfering in the attack of our ally on an enemy regime.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Who would've thought