Is there any way to join whatsapp without uploading my entire address book to Whatsapp's servers?
I would like to join a few groups, but don't see any need for a Facebook subsidiary to know all of my personal and business contacts.
Edit: Using Windows Phone
Samsung have an application called Knox that allows you to turn your Samsung device into a business phone and keep your normal personal data. This creates a second profile on your device and isolates it from all other applications not installed in the business mode. It's what I use.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.enterp…
Generic Android allows creating new users too.
Thanks, but that only works for android phones.
Just buy a microsoft phone. They're so cheap and handy for work use. My friends who work in Washington DC all have a WIndows phone.
Knox is different. Just read the description in the link.
It's enterprise ready.
Facebook owns Whatsapp
Scupper, if I do that, would I need to carry around the cheap phone to receive messages from whatsapp as well as carrying my main phone? Or could I leave it at home and just use my main phone after the initial setup?
Better to carry the other phone. Running Whatsapp on your main phone will allow it to access your contacts.
However, you can probably play around with Whatsapp Web. You can use your main phone and its web browser to display Whatsapp Web (must be desktop mode), and you still need the other phone to authenticate. However, I bet that the web connection will break eventually (e.g due to your phone's battery optimisation) so it won't be a feasible solution.
Thanks for your help. Unfortunately carrying around a second phone just in case of a message from whatsapp isn't really practical for me.
Just get double sided tape and stick it together, back to back, so you're only carrying one phone
Since when does WhatsApp send your contacts to their servers?
The app just reads them from your contacts list, the same way the default sms app on your phone does.
Once you start a conversation the app matches the number in your contacts to the message all on your own phone.
Unlike SMS, where the app depends on the phone carriers to resolve who the number belongs to, WhatsApp gives you a list of contacts from your contacts list to send your message to. This list shows who are already with WhatsApp and those who can be invited to join. It cannot know any of this without first checking with the WhatsApp servers which of your contacts are already in the system.
Edit: @ItsNotMe, whether you like it or not, WhatsApp probably knows of your existence due to the users who have your number in their contact list.
I'm sure it knows of my existence, but that's a much lower risk. Just like identity theft doesn't happen from hackers opening the white pages!
I think you just have to balance your privacy concerns against the utility that WhatsApp certainly provides. For me, the utility outweighs the privacy concerns.
Thanks for all your comments. If anyone has any whatsapp privacy techniques, please post them here.
Or I'll wait for the next fad app!
Get a cheap phone logged in with a new microsoft/google account and loaded with only the contacts you wish Whatsapp to get.