> Any developer can clone an open source crypto implementation and spin up a new chat app.
And they can use it to converse only with themselves. Getting everyone else to stop using their favourite panopticon is the hard part.
And they can use it to converse only with themselves. Getting everyone else to stop using their favourite panopticon is the hard part.
All it takes is a usable interface, general availability, and a reason to change. If WhatsApp starts doing content moderation, of any form on the client, I am of the strong opinion that users will find this to be "creepy" and will immediately start shifting. As it is, all of my technical contacts have already left WhatsApp for Telegram. Since that group/audience has been the bellwether for all of the previous instant messaging client shifts over the last 2 decades, I imagine it's only time before "everyone else" also shifts off WhatsApp. I don't necessarily think it will be Telegram, but they definitely have the most momentum today when compared to, eg, Line, Zalo, Viber, Kik, et al.