The enshitification continues.
this post was submitted on 11 May 2026
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Technology
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We need to stop using Reddit, WhatsApp, and YouTube... but we can't.
That's the real problem. These platforms stopped being “apps” a long time ago. They're infrastructure now. Reddit is search results, tech support, product reviews, niche communities. WhatsApp is family, work, school, doctors, landlords. YouTube is tutorials, education, news clips, repairs, entertainment, background noise.
You can quit a bad product. You can't easily quit a social standard.
And that’s exactly why they get away with so much. The cost of leaving isn’t just losing features; it’s losing access to people, knowledge, and convenience. Alternatives exist, but the network effect keeps dragging everyone back.
So yeah, we should stop using them. But realistically, the better first step is reducing dependence: use RSS, forums, Signal, PeerTube/Invidious, proper documentation, personal websites, mailing lists, and local backups wherever possible.
Not because purity is achievable, but because total dependence is dangerous.
Stopped using reddit years ago.
Never once used WhatsApp, and refuse to.
Same with a bunch of other social media sites.
YouTube - only use it to download high quality Vida using other tools, like Grayjay, Newpipe, and YT-DL.
Never once used WhatsApp, and refuse to.
Depending on where you live, doing so is completely feasible… or social and economic suicide.
In Brazil at least every bloody body assumes WhatsApp, including your doctor, multiple shops, and even bloody bank services. It's exactly like @Dsklnsadog@lemmy.dbzer0.com said — shite's infrastructure now.
I expect it to be like this in other countries, too.
Whatsapp is just a messaging service? That can be easily replaced by phones in-built messaging service or am i missing something?
It’s used by a lot of social groups where I am and it’s hard to avoid if you want to join any kind of community. Other stuff could easily replace it but the inertia is strong.
But Whatsapp works based on a phone number or at least it can send messages to others by finding them through a phone number. So technically it should be possible to replace it without others even noticing.
Whatsapp is a platform, not just a replacement messaging app. You can look someone up by phone of Facebook too, but that doesn't mean you can choose how to message them or that they could receive a message without using the platform. Or maybe I'm not quite getting what you're saying.
I'm not that familiar with Whatsapp, so i don't fully know it's capabilities.
The only time I've used it was through a phone number to send the other person a few work related pictures and by the limited description of friends used as an replacement messaging app when traveling abroad.
Though yeah if it has something more behind it. It's more understandable why it's harder to replace it.
Your post hits the nail on the head too well to be left unnoticed, here. My goodness, this is a message that needs repeating.
Isn't it striking how today's essential infasctructure is owned by private equity, and always run for profit. Everything we depend on is a paid service.
We need to stop using Reddit, WhatsApp, and YouTube… but we can’t.
What's this we shit?
Agree. Sometimes I click on Reddit threads in my search results. I've had to use WhatsApp recently to stay in touch with my dad. I keep Meta accounts so that I can (very rarely) keep up with family.
None of them are things I use daily or post to (other than WhatsApp convo). The accounts have been pretty well dead for at least the last 3 years.
I host my own services, including a Mastodon instance. I talk up fediverse alternatives and FOSS apps...but I can't even get my mom to understand that she doesn't need to bring an SD card to Walmart to get photos. I'm certainly not going to push her to Signal or Matrix just to talk to me.
Hopefully more people will come here now
The last thing we need is more libs from Reddit.
Doubt - we aren't particularly welcoming, especially to the likes of USA centrists, which is the majority population on Reddit.
Though some instances choose to at least curb the problem slightly, by e.g. defederating hexbear.
I doubt the centrists have a problem with Reddit
Oh Redditors will always find something to complain about:-)
Won't someone think of the poor centrists!
Meh, if someone wants to they can... though my point here was logical consistency: a question was implicitly asked (why don't more people come here) and I responded with exactly why. It is what it is. We cannot both have our cake (be unwelcoming to people, especially those exact type of people) and eat it too (wishing more people would come).
i used to wonder why ppl still choose reddit after everything spez has done. but if recently learning about Pol Pot has taught me anything, it's that demographs of people will sign up for their own stupidity no matter how obvious the grimness of their alterable reality is.
"You WILL look at our ads and you WILL give us more data"