Whatsapp - GrapheneOS Discussion Forum

Graphene1

I know I know, use Signal (I do with close friends and family) however Whatsapp is a necessary evil for schools, child minders, extended family etc

Do you think Meta's WhatsApp downloaded via their website could or does contain more invasive permissions or tracking compared to the PlayStore version with them not having to abide by any rules placed on them by an app store?

DeletedUser127

Graphene1 I recall (older) version of WhatsApp from their website does contain Google libraries just as the Play Store version, checked with LibChecker, therefore it does not make it any less privacy invasive.

Graphene1

DeletedUser127 I know no version is ideal but is it forseeable that it could be "worse" if obtaining by their website? Or is it the same version?

DeletedUser127

Graphene1 I preferred older version from website which was less buggy than newer version from Play Store (via Aurora Store), which in the the lack of Play Services falls back to websocket for notifications. Less secure than Play Store version. You have to weigh your priorities. I have and only use Signal (Molly) now.

SovereignCopper

DeletedUser127 So the current version does not fall back to websocket at all anymore? Since which version is this the case?

I couldn't find any evidence (1) that WhatsApp has stopped falling back to WebSocket, or (2) that WhatsApp Play Store doesn't fall back to WebSocket.

SovereignCopper

Might be a grammar thing, but you did say so:

DeletedUser127 I preferred older version from website (...), which in the the lack of Play Services falls back to websocket for notifications.

DeletedUser127

SovereignCopper nowhere in my post did I say WhatsApp stopped using websocket, just that older version worked for me in a less buggy manner, i.e. not closing and throwing exceptions.

Dumdum

SovereignCopper
Not really. I found it clear that when Play Services is absent, then websocket is used as the fallback for notifications.