Closed WhatsApp For Good

Today, I closed my WhatsApp account, with my sincerest apologies to friends who were using it to keep in touch (you can always find me here). However, no apologies to Meta.

I was inspired by a recent column from the Archewell Foundation, entitled Fact-checking Meta. What they had to say closely mirrored what I’d said earlier about closing my Facebook account, specifically that “Meta’s recent decisions go directly against its stated mission to ‘build human connection’ and instead prioritize those using the platforms to spread hate, lies and division at the expense of everyone else.”

The problem boils down to integrity. Meta’s website Policy Rationale (today’s version) publicly states “We believe that people use their voice and connect more freely when they don’t feel attacked on the basis of who they are. That is why we don’t allow hateful conduct on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads.” Yet a quick comparison to the Jan 7, 2025 version reveals what’s really going on.

ACTION: Edited content reframed “hate speech” as “hateful conduct” and removed the sentence “It creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion, and in some cases may promote offline violence.”
RESULT: Meta is no longer concerned about whether its content might promote offline violence.
ME: I am not okay with that, to say the least.

ACTION: Removed “We have additional restrictions for paid content.”
RESULT: If you pay, you get your say, regardless. Meta won’t get in your way.
ME: Do you think most users are smart enough to spot paid content when they see it? Clearly, they’re not.

ACTION: Following “Our policies are designed to allow room for these types of speech” (previously defined as hate speech but redefined as mentioned above), Meta removed the phrase “…but require people to clearly indicate their intent. Where intention is unclear, we may remove content.”
RESULT: The rails are gone. Say whatever you want.
ME: I won’t have to see it anymore. I’m gone.

There are more examples, but there is no point in going into them any further. This isn’t helping. And I won’t help this organization by utilizing their products or platforms any more.

Looking to connect? Try dannyrichard.59 on Signal. So far I am appreciating their business model a lot more than Meta’s.