this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2024
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DeGoogle Yourself

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Best option to run WhatsApp (lemmy.ml)
submitted 7 months ago by Nebula224@lemmy.ml to c/degoogle@lemmy.ml
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I have to have WhatsApp installed on one of my phones for work purposes. It's not possible to ask my work to give me a phone (I'm on zero-hours contract). I do have two phones - one DeGoogled pixel running CalyxOS and one iPhone XS. The iPhone I use for banking apps and basically anything that ties directly to me. Apple Pay and so on. Then I use the DeGoogled phone for everything else - most communications done over Signal, taking photos etc. This is my daily driver.

My question is this - is there any way to make WhatsApp as private as possible? I'm fine knowing WhatsApp reads all my messages etc (not really fine per se, but what choice do I have) but what I really don't want is telemetry. So which phone should I install it on? The private one to limit telemetry, or the regular phone to stop any telemetry from my private phone being read? Or is there some way I can remotely host an instance of WhatsApp or something?

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[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 6 points 7 months ago (3 children)

if you need only the chat (i.e. not calls) you could self host an instance of matrix with the whatsapp bridge. In this way you won't need the whatsapp client on your phone (other than for signing up and connecting the bridge once) and use it througth the matrix client (e.g. element).

[–] scott@lem.free.as 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I do this. However, you need to connect using the WhatsApp client every 12 days just to keep it "alive" otherwise WhatsApp servers sign the bridge out.

[–] Nebula224@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago

This is perfect! Exactly what I'm looking for, thank you.

[–] oh_gosh_its_osh@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

other than for signing up and connecting the bridge once

According to the docs, you still need the whatsapp client on a physical or virtual device to call back home every 2 weeks or so, which is really annoying.

I also tried the route of using a disposable number for the activation code without any success.

[–] Im_old@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

didn't know that. Thank you for the useful info!