WhatsApp - who doesn't know this name? And who doesn't use it. Except in countries, where it is banned (like China, North Korea, UAE), everywhere else people use WhatsApp profusely! What'sApp became akin to our morning rituals like brushing teeth, reading news, exercising etc. From milk vendor to millionaire every one is using it. It is not an exaggeration if I say my day starts and ends with WhatsApp. Throughout Covid and even now I am in touch with friends, family only and only through WhatsApp. One of my friends kept a WhatsApp status long back - I am not using WhatsApp, WhatsApp is using me🙂🙂 - at times it becomes true if we lose track of time! I want to list few pros and cons of WhatsApp in this post.
Pros of WhatsApp Usage
- WhatsApp connected me with friends all over the globe. It helped in rapid exchange of information and memories.
- In Covid, WhatsApp was very helpful to find and contact plasma donors, to know about hospital vacancies, food providers, COVID RTPCR testing centers and was a supportive platform to people in many possible ways.✌
- Making audio video calls was never so easy. There are other platforms and apps but WhatsApp is the easiest I feel. In Covid this was the only way to look at faces of your near and dear!💖
- WhatsApp gifs, stickers and memes are very funny and can instantly lift your mood!
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| a super cute angry baby gif :) |
- I love my school group. I feel connected, rejuvenated and also feel like a child again when I am there! I like my daughter's school whatsapp group which is quite handy to know the updates, understand the day to day activities!
- WhatsApp groups are easy forums to have discussions, just talks, have some fun. They feel like virtual hangout addas.👬👭👫
- We created a whatsapp group just for 2022 A to Z challenge, and the group is a backbone to me whenever I feel like quitting the challenge. We pushed each other and finally have reached the last leg of the challenge. The group helped me with ideas and boosted me when I felt the heat of challenge. I am voice typing most of my posts of the last leg of challenge due to my ailments and the group is the only reason - I am able to continue the challenge. Our group members are:
- Deepa - https://fictionpies.com/
- Anuradha - https://momandideas.com/
- Aparna - https://prernanayak.blogspot.com/
- Afshan - http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.com/
- Renu Sethi - http://day-to-daystories.blogspot.com
- Jayashree - http://pagesfromjayashree.blogspot.com
- Ranjana - https://reflection-by-ranjana.blogspot.com/
- A couple of us had to walk out due to time constraints and hurdles. I sorely missed them in this madness! (Hema - https://mytakeoneverything9.wordpress.com/ and Nandana - http://cheerfultornado.blogspot.com/)
PS: Shower some love on the above folks by visiting and reading them when you leave my post 😊💓 Thanks!
Special thanks to Deepa from https://fictionpies.com/ who lead this initiative and suddenly added me without giving any prior notification😜 but I feel so good that she did it😇. I otherwise would never have done A to Z!
Cons of WhatsApp
- WhatsApp eats away my time! Specially when I have some important deadline to meet, I keep phone silent or away and uninstall the app at times (for digital detoxification). As of now, I have put phone in airplane mode to finish this post (I am voice typing on phone)😜
- Notifications can be distracting. I mostly mute notifications, specially of groups to save the time. I practiced to check only when I want to!🙆
- Just like any other platform, Whatsapp groups have variety of public. You can find Religion crazy folks, folks who continuously bombard you with their retail businesses and many other varieties. If I am added in new groups, I mostly stay inactive or walk out!😟
- Dissing gyaan gathered in WhatsApp University - a term coined for all the fake news that is spread via whatsapp.👿
- Some whatsapp statuses suck your energy and can instantly irritate you. Continuous negative or fake statuses, sexist statuses or spreading the mottos like AntiVaxxism or religious chauvinism are some categories! I instantly mute or delete them.😷
- Random video calls without giving any notice. This trend increased in Covid. What if I am checking mobile sitting on commode (OK I do that sometimes for peace, as that is the only me time during TOUGH days 😆) or what if I am in a compromising situation😨 I DREAD UNPLANNED VIDEO CALLS !
- I dont like office Whatsapp groups. I mean it is enough that we are talking in office chat windows, over the phone calls, zoom calls. Do we need whatsapp too ? I strictly wanna keep whatsapp personal!
- Silly but a famous issue faced by many is - LAST SEEN and DOUBLE BLUE TICKS! People check your last seen and think that you are always sitting on whatsapp - almost like you built a tent and living there (WHICH IS NOT THE CASE FOR MOST OF US). Double ticks indicate you read the message and if you give no replies it is usually considered rude, may seem as if you are ignoring the message sender- but there could be a genuine reason and receiver may be really busy and hence stalling the reply. Whatever it may be, it would be good IF WE DON'T LET THE TECHNOLOGICAL CONVENIENCES RULE OUR EMOTIONS! - I am issuing this point as a public notice for EVERY ONE :)😀 Also you can disable these features in your settings!
- Gen Z folks and teenagers or to that matter anyone and everyone use Whatsapp for makeups, breakups, and for many other weird purposes. Wish life and love were not that silly, easy, and meaningless!
- You can block or restrict people on whatsapp. This comes under both pros and cons as the said people would notice it!🙀😑
Funnily whatever are the pros are even cons for whatsapp - depending on the usage. Moderation and not being chained to the app are the keys! Weighing all the pros and cons, whatsapp for me is extremely useful. I love most of its features. I cant imagine a day without Whatsapp specially due to my lousy mobile network!
What are your WhatsApp experiences? Do you have any funny or irritating encounters?
I am participating in Blogging from A-Z challenge 2022 and this is my Day 23 - 'W' post.
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I have heard of Whatsapp but have never used it. It does sound like an interesting concept though! Glad it helped keep you going on the A/Z challenge! You're almost to the end of it!!
ReplyDeletebetty
Really . Wow. ...but i think everyone in USA use it. Anyhow for exchanging information, files, docs and images etc it is fast. However one can do without it too :)
DeleteIn UAE, you can chat in whatsapp but cannot make a call.
ReplyDeleteOh ya. I think so, they use Viber or something for calls...dont know why the restriction!
DeleteBeen using WA for a long time now. Introduced my mother (shes over 80) to it and she is a big fan. After initial hesitation in using the smartphone, she has got some of her friends on to WA. Thats good for senior citizens as they can stay in touch, get news and so on. Good post! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the motto, nowadays Whatsapp is using us! Seems to have taken over our schedules. But I think for me at least, the pros far outweigh the cons, though it's nice to be away once in a while. All my notifications are muted except calls, though they brought in web whatsapp to increase addiction! :D Thank you so much for the kind mention and link back! Extremely proud of you for seeing this through, as you must and should be of yourself! We're almost done!
ReplyDeleteA book that you should absolutely read is We need to talk about Kevin - my entry for W!
How lovely that you have a Whatsapp group for the A to Z Challenge. I also appreciate how Whatsapp has made it so easy to connect with my family scattered around the globe.
ReplyDeleteI use whatsapp just to connect with friends and family :)
ReplyDeleteOMG! That angry baby--I wrote a poem about frown lines today--but this baby takes the cake.
ReplyDeleteI like the voice-note option on WhatsApp. Being naturally chatty, I find it's the best way to communicate with my friends.
Your A to Z Challenge group sounds lovely.
Hi Ashfan - thanks for coming over and commenting; I no longer participate in the A-Z, but enjoy seeing everyone's ideas and thoughts during April. I've never actually joined a WhatsApp group - I don't use my phone much, or social media ... so have never felt the need - but I do know others use i a lot. I see you've some interesting posts - I'll be over to read - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIn the USA, we use Facebook more than WhatsApp, but it can consume you in the same way. People here use Whatsapp mostly to connect to people internationally where it is much more common as you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your voice recording software. What do you use? After the challenge, that might be a good way for me to post more often.
Interesting take on WhatsApp.
ReplyDeleteMy phone lives on silent mode so WhatsApp only intrudes when I allow it to.
My only contact with my brother is via the app.
I loathe WhatsApp groups and leave most of them as quickly as I've been signed up to them!
During lockdown we took church on to WhatsApp and it worked brilliantly.
Visiting from Facing The Mountain
Also... I changed my privacy settings so that I don't see two blue ticks & neither does anyone who messages me and I will never change this setting back.
ReplyDeleteNO NO NO Not another app. I can’t keep up with the ones I have but I have heard everyone talking about this Whatsapp. I’m scared to check it out. Should I dare? I don't know but I love that you shared the groups. I too hope to keep up with my new peeps after A2Z is over.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Barbie
Me again... thanks for your comments on my blog, but for some strange reason I can see them on the Blogger dashboard but not on the post. Very odd! Hopefully Blogger will rectify this at some point.
ReplyDeleteAah atleast u could see it i hope.u emphasizing women boxing today was interesting... I talked a bit about it. Liked ur post....i faced so many technical glitches through out challenge - which includes losing access to a to z Fb page...sigh..anyhow thanks and see u around
DeleteAh all is clear now - I recognise several names from you WhatsApp group they have been visiting me this year. I have two peak times for commenting -from India and from the US
ReplyDeleteWhatsapp is both a boon and bane which you have articulated very well Afshan. Moderation is the mantra. Else without realizing, we get sucked into its web!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post to read on the things I use a lot these days. I was the last one in my circles to download the app after everyone insisted. And I have benefitted from each pro you have listed. The biggest con for me is that with the pics people keep sending in groups, my phone gets full very fast.
ReplyDeleteDropping by from momandideas.com via A-Z challenge
A support group sounds like a great addition to the a to z.
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't use WhatsApp? Me. That would be me. I don't know anyone who uses it, and I have no desire to learn. Too many apps out there. I'm sure it's useful for those who like it.
ReplyDeleteReally good topic. But I am a layman techie so use only the basics. Very informative post.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, Afshan! It was also a very educational post for me as I have to admit I've never actually used WhatsApp. :>) I'm guessing, however, that I'm many decades older than you and I suspect that's the reason why I'm so behind the times. Reading this post was enjoyable and very illuminating; thank you!
ReplyDeleteWell put and deliberated!
ReplyDeleteYes it can make contact at odd moments. I have to shut everything off at night so I dont get early "dings." But love talking to our friends and family all over the world.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for your thoughtful visits and comments
I use WhatsApp more than any other social media platform to stay connected. But I've abstained from groups. I find them tiresome. A one-to-one communication with like-minded people helps me stay connected without being over indulgent.
ReplyDeleteI am in the United States and do not use WhatsApp. This may be more of a generational thing because I think my son uses it. My age group seems to use mainly Facebook but I've taken FB off my phone because of privacy concerns I feel I can control better on my laptop.
ReplyDeleteI used to zoom in to the details of a thing that matters. Now a days I lose interest to know more about a thing because I get to know its head or tail on whats app eventually losing motivation to deep dive. Another side effect of this is Armchair Activism :)
ReplyDeleteMy only problem with Whatsapp is having so many groups!!
ReplyDeleteAn insightful post on WhatsApp. In my case, my teen son has more groups on Whatsapp, yes, he uses my phone for chatting with his friends and staying abreast with what his teachers send him as HW. I had asked Anu as well, if I can also be a part of the group. But, anyway, it was quite a challenge to finish the challenge. LOL. Do stay in touch.
ReplyDeleteI see WhatsApp as a platform or a medium. It's good or bad, depending upon the way one uses it.
ReplyDeleteA group of likeminded people can be truly a source of inspiration and support.
But if it's a group of people who spam messages, then it's better not to be a part of it.
-- Pradeep from Time and Tide
I've heard of WhatsApp, but only from people who don't live in the US
ReplyDelete