Digital Discourse Database

Number of Posts: 13
Posts 1 - 10

Überwachung von WhatsApp gefordert

(Surveillance of WhatsApp wanted)

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 2.4.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | law, privacy, texting, threat, WhatsApp
Summary | Politicians demand that WhatsApp let them access WhatsApp communications for surveillance. WhatsApp is withholding that access to protect user privacy. Terrorists are aware that the police can read their messages if they text them via SMS but that they cannot read them as long as they are on WhatsApp. This is a huge security gap.
Image Description | N/A

Diese drei Anwendungen sind besser als Whatsapp

(These three apps are better than WhatsApp)

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 5.5.2016
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | law, privacy, threat, WhatsApp
Summary | Brazil has just blocked WhatsApp in their country for 72 hours in order to for WhatsApp to share chats with their police in ciminal cases. It is unlikely that something like this will happen in Germany but it is good to know about some alternatives just in case... Especially since WhatsApp is not very trustworthy about user privacy. Threema is a Swiss app that alllows for user anonymity, Slack is a really good app to use with colleagues because files can be saved within group chats, and Telegram deletes inactive chats after a while so that there are no traces.
Image Description | Woman using a smartphone with headphones on the street.
Image Tags | female(s), headphones, smartphone

"Es liegt eine Magie darin"

("There's a lot of magic in it")

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 17.9.2016
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | artificial intelligence, Facebook, privacy, virtual reality, WhatsApp, YouTube
Summary | Facebook is planning to create innovations to accommodate their users' obvious desires to watch videos on Facebook to the extent that Facebook can curently compete with YouTube for views. The sharing of videos has shot up on Facebook as of late. Facebook's live streaming feature also helps with that. Future plans include virtual reality options. Many users are worried about privacy issues because Facebook is connecting data from WhatsApp with Facebook data.
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Diese nützlichen Apps gehören auf jedes Smartphone

(These useful apps belong on every smartphone)

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Newspaper | Die Zeit
Date | 2.2.2016
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | privacy, WhatsApp
Summary | WhatsApp dominates all rankings of popular app downloads. The free messaging app is so popular precisely because almost everyone has it and free messages can be sent to all one's contacts. There are good alternatives for those who value data security more highly, for example Threema or Signal. Other useful apps that everyone should have is a maps app taht can be used offlne, a Clean Master that frees up storage space on the device, and a decent browser.
Image Description | Slideshows showing the apps in use.

Im Gefühlsextremismus

(In the middle of emotional extremism)

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Newspaper | Die Zeit
Date | 10.5.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | cyberbullying, pornography, privacy, sexting, social media, threat
Summary | Social media have messed with our sense of privacy. Celebrities can now address their fans from a seemingly private realm of self-orchestrated social media presence and regular people can become famous very quickly when they embarrass themselves enough on social media. Additionally, one can be made famous on social media by cyberbullies and previous partners by sharing "revenge porn" (nudes shared during a romantic relationship) after a breakup. The general tenor on all social media sites entails schadenfreude (rejoicing over other people's misfortune) - whether it be directed towards celebrities' faux-pas or normal people.
Image Description | The crying tears from laughter emoji.
Image Tags | emojis

Von Rubinbergs Super-Duden

(Von Rubinger super dictionary)

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Newspaper | die Weltwoche
Date | 13.4.2017
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | privacy, texting, translation, WhatsApp
Summary | An entrepreneur in Switzerland wants to release a new messaging app called Drotr. It is comparable to WhatsApp in its basic functions but it can translate all messages into over 100 languages. Also the messages are better protected against privacy breaches and the servers are located in Switzerland.
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Das ist an Messenger-Verschwörungstheorien dran

(This is the deal with messenger conspiracy theories)

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 5.11.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | artificial intelligence, privacy, Snapchat, texting, threat, WhatsApp
Summary | A list of popular messengers is analyzed in terms of how well they protect their users' privacy. The safest one is Signal and many others have end-to-end encryption, for instance WhatsApp. They still collect the metadata though (interlocutors, time of interaction, location). Some even save the content that is sent around - most shockingly Snapchat which is popular becuase it supposedly leaves no trace. Some messengers supposedly have ties with national security ministries, like Telegram in Russia and Viber in Israel. Apple recently refused to work with the FBI in giving away a customer's personal information.
Image Description | Photograph of a smartphone screen with messengers and a video about messengers.
Image Tags | hand(s), logo, smartphone, WhatsApp

Experten verraten: Diese Apps müssen dringend auf Ihr Smartphone

(Experts reveal: these apps need to be on your smartphone)

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Newspaper | Focus Online
Date | 5.3.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | privacy, smartphone, WhatsApp
Summary | It is difficult to avoid WhatsApp because virtually everyone is using it. The app profits from allowing you to reach everyone. There have however been privacy issues in the past. Safer options are the free app Signal (even recommended by Edward Snowden) or Threema. Other must-have apps are sophisticated password organizing apps, clean-up apps that optimize one's storage as well as good web browsers.
Image Description | Image of a boy holding a smartphone while laying on a sofa.
Image Tags | male(s), smartphone

23 versteckte WhatsApp-Tricks

(23 hidden WhatsApp tricks)

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Newspaper | Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Date | 25.1.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | GIFs, privacy, texting, WhatsApp
Summary | WhatsApp has added many new features over the years that not everyone may have heard about; from text design options to the sending of documents, doing video chats, or creating your own GIF. User can personalize their privacy settings to some extent, because even if one turns off the read receipt feature (blue ticks), others can still get that information with a few clicks. Treasured conversations can be saved and annoying contacts blocked or muted.
Image Description | Screenshots with instructions.
Image Tags | emojis, WhatsApp

Hilfe, wo sind meine Whatsapp-Freunde hin!

(Help, where did all of my WhatsApp friends go!)

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Newspaper | Der Bund
Date | 26.2.2014
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | Facebook, privacy, social media, WhatsApp
Summary | After Facebook has bought WhatsApp, many users are worried about their data privacy so waves of users are switching on to safer alternatives to WhatsApp such as Telegram, MyEnigma, or the Swiss app Threema. The large majority however is staying on WhatsApp, which causes more people to stay or return to WhatsApp. When Facebook replaced older social media platforms such as the German SchülerVZ, all users moved because a social media platform is only valuable when enough people use it.
Image Description | Photograph of a smartphone screen with social media different icons.
Image Tags | logo, smartphone, social media

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