Whatsapp vs Google Messages

Aero

What would be the less of 2 evils on your main profile in regards to say metadata?

Background to my question:
No one i know uses Signal (or any other privacy messenger) only Whatsapp or mostly imessage for apple and sms for my android freinds and family (im aware at the moment rcs is only e2ee android to android). Im mainly resorted to just using sms as default, I have Whatsapp installed in private space, but hardly use it as its in that 'space'. Main profile currently has no google play (or services) so if i chose Google Messages i would need to install this.

Usage:
Sending and recieving picture messages mainly with freinds and family.

End result:
I would like either whatsapp and sms in my main profile or no whatsapp and justs Google Messages with rcs. At the moment with this, e2ee is not as important to me as metadata (as said my main go to is sms, hence e2ee isnt my goal here.. Yet).

NoahRaketic

Aero In my opinion, Google Messages will be the lesser evil. Google has explicitly stated that it doesn't use any information from Messages for advertising. Meanwhile, WhatsApp does share usage data with other Meta services in order to deliver personalized ads. Neither app prevents metadata from seeing their servers, but Google doesn't share usage data with other first-party services for advertising.

kaisernatron They probably sell data to each other anyway

Please do not spread FUD. Neither company sells data (they use data for first-party ads), and there is no evidence that Google and Meta share message data with each other.

Johnnyloans

Aero as said my main go to is sms, hence e2ee isnt my goal here.. Yet)

Noah has a great point.

This quote is concerning because SMS, MMS are not encrypted. RCS is.

SMS texting is like sending a letter through the mail with no envelope. More people will read it.

It sounds like you care about this because youre worried about google/meta reading messages.

E2ee means the message is unreadable until it gets to the recipient. The app you're using can see the message and do whatever with that info. You'd have to trust google to honor their word in their privacy toggles and policies.

kaisernatron

They probably sell data to each other anyway

Aero

NoahRaketic In my opinion, Google Messages will be the lesser evil

Think this is what I was thinking too.

Johnnyloans This quote is concerning because SMS, MMS are not encrypted. RCS is

RCS as I believe is still not e2ee too I message (yet)
When I came from iOS to GOS 3 odd years ago I was completely in the de-google club and refused to install anything google, so SMS really was my only choice as only used Imessage really back in my ios days.

However I am so much more open now to even install gservices/play in my main profile and even just use one profile.
That all being said, my next concern though is if I do this and install google messages, what again are the privacy risks of Google Play services needs to be granted the Phone permission?