I was able to avoid WhatsApp until we started our current multi-year sailboat cruise. All the local cruiser communities are on WhatsApp. So when we got to the Canaries, I created an account.

But I'm making sure WhatsApp will not be used for anything outside this context. That way I can nuke it when we're back home.

Yeah it has replaced SMS everywhere but the US and China.

You might not be buying anything from Meta with cash, but you are with information about yourself and your network.

Yes, but that's besides the point.

My comment was in the context of "Meta has a brand issue" which is absolutely true.