But as you say, they aren't asking you to give up your rights (because of the 'or pay money' clause). You can just stop using it. If you want to use it and not give up rights, pay money. What is wrong with that?
Commercial subscription services that don't violate your privacy are 100% fine, and incidentally, as xp84 noted, are way healthier because the user is at least a customer. (I dream of a day where companies spend $0 on advertising and instead all commercial websites and social media are run on small subscriptions or frictionless micropayments and the only person they need to keep happy is the customer.)
Of course "free" services have a massive advantage over paid ones. If Meta can profitably run Facebook just on generic ads without tracking, like a newspaper, that's allowed too. But if they can't, well, tough shit.
Sorta??? It's not like I volunteer my time to my job.
Once a service gets so big, that you are practically forced to join, regulation seems like a very good idea
Missing out is an illusion.
Enough ways to get around the benefits of using WhatsApp for business. Enough customers hate using WhatsApp to communicate with businesses.
Getting your own kids to switch messenging client is fairly trivial. Then they can talk to you (and to each other).
The network effect means you then have to persuade other kids, and parents, and sports coaches, and music teachers and ... to switch.
(Source: have three kids and we have exactly this issue)
Signal is spy stuff. WhatsApp means obedience and submission.
At least where we are, schools have been told not to touch WhatsApp at all, and use another (more GDPR-compliant) messaging product; despite this there is typically an unofficial WhatsApp group for each class, but no teachers are members.
> WhatsApp means obedience and submission
I don't disagree, but I don't think you'll convince many parents to stop using WhatsApp if you approach it like that.
My impression is that most parents are very busy people and are just trying to keep up with the chaos caused by their kids; they will opt for the easiest solution that solves their problem.
and there are various ways to prove your value that are not based on networks
the thing is, almost everyone is or will be looking in the near future.
I have family my age and older who don't never use Facebook and barely interact with technology and they get by life just fine.
Social media addiction isn't a right, and just because you have a share to Facebook or Twitter integration doesn't mean you have to use either.
> If you want to use it and not give up rights, pay money.
Ahh, we are not asking you to sell. We are asking you to give them in exchange for services.
> Ahh, we are not asking you to sell. We are asking you to give them in exchange for services.
That's covered in the "or otherwise relinquish your rights" part. Privacy is a right, you can't sell or relinquish it, in exchange or donated, doesn't matter.