By Joel Mandaza
WhatsApp is the biggest social media platform in Zimbabwe, it has morphed itself into the instant messaging application of choice.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) says WhatsApp accounts for about 45% of internet usage in Zimbabwe.
It’s a place where people stay attuned to events and maintain social contact with relatives during these COVID-19 times. And it is a marketing platform for those who sell wares or services for sustenance (in Zimbabwe everyone sells something).
The use and reliance on WhatsApp are not uniquely Zimbabwean, it’s also one of the biggest platforms on the webspace.
According to statistica.com, WhatsApp has more than two billion users in the world.
In 2014, Facebook paid US$55 per user when they bought the platform from its founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton.
Facebook, which owns other platforms like Facebook itself, Oculus and Instagram has proposed studying data generated by users on WhatsApp to inform the adverts they get to see on their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
This was not received well by users, as they felt their data was now being used to manipulate them.
Some, including Businessman Elon Musk, have suggested that people seek alternatives like Signal.
We have compiled a list of viable alternatives to WhatsApp, where some of your contacts may migrate to.
1.Signal
Appearing to be an easy choice for many, Signal was founded in 2014.
Signal performs the same functions as WhatsApp, which includes instant messaging, sending of videos, voice notes, images and documents.
Predictably, it has similarities to WhatsApp because one of the WhatsApp founders, Brian Acton injected US$50 million after they had sold WhatsApp to Facebook.
The encryption protocol used by WhatsApp, which allows end to end encryption of messages, was formulated by the people who run Signal. In simple terms, Signal owners are responsible for the security that WhatsApp relies on, making Signal comparatively secure.
Signal is an open-source platform. This means that the owners invite coders from around the world to continuously test their system to ensure it’s watertight.
By virtue of Signal being an open source platform, it allows people to run their own servers. This means that when there is suspicion of surveillance or when there is danger of the internet being shut down, people can create their own server where they can communicate within a small circle without connecting to the broader global platform. Signal allows like-minded people to have exclusive communities which can be accessed only by those originally intended to participate.
End of December, Signal had 20 million users. Now it has 525 million users, after Billionaire Elon Musk and other technology enthusiasts started alerting people of its existence.
2. Discord
Another viable option is Discord.
It started in 2015, as a platform for gamers and technology enthusiasts.
With the sustained improvement of features, they have seen their numbers grow to the present 250 million users.
Discord’s major advantage over WhatsApp is that although it is a free instant messaging platform, it does not require one to use their phone number to be able to access services.
This means at a time when people are being persecuted for having opinions on WhatsApp, like what has been seen in Zimbabwe, it could be a good platform for free range political debate.
Discord still allows the use of Chatbots. This can be useful in ensuring that people have access to critical information without leaving the application for search engine.
It’s easy to set up Discord, one can become an active member through clicking link which expires after session. There is no need for a lifelong commitment, which makes some susceptible to spying on platforms like WhatsApp.
3. Telegram
Telegram is perhaps the most popular alternative to WhatsApp in Zimbabwe.
In January 2019, when the internet was shut down after protests, people resorted to Telegram using VPN connections.
Telegram has basic features similar to WhatsApp but it has add-ons. This has made it a fan of the 350 million users it has.
Unlike Whatsapp, which has a cap for the size of data one can send. Telegram allows up to 2Gig of content to be sent in one go.
This means people can send documentaries to each other through the application.
Even those who are doing remote work in the context of working from home can utilise telegram as it handles files bigger than all email platforms including gmail and yahoo.
In addition, Telegram allows for a group chat to have 200 000 participants, besides the chaos, which can be curated. It is a good platform for sending broadcast messages to many people in one go.
We are in the era of quick fire information dissemination and Telegram allows people to edit videos within the application.
Telegram also allows people to schedule messages which will be sent later. This particularly works for political activists who may know that they may be gagged later, they can preload messages they would want to communicate beforehand.
4. WeChat
WeChat is the Chinese equivalent of WhatsApp.
It is the second largest instant messaging platform in the world with 1.1 billion users, second only to WhatsApp.
WeChat allows people to engage with strangers in their proximity as long as the location function is on.
It also has a social network component where there are public timelines where people can engage.
For someone in China, the application presents a greater utility as WeChat is a whole ecosystem.
It allows one to pay for utilities, ordering food, online shopping and virtual gifting.
In Zimbabwe, the best functions one can enjoy are those with a messaging thrust.
5. Sasai
Sasai is a homegrown solution, a product of Cassava Smartech.
The platform allows for instant messaging, sending of pictures, audio and video calls.
The platform, which has not had decent uptake in Zimbabwe has potential to become a one stop shop for local users.
Beyond the communication aspect, it has functionality that allows people to remit money between countries, payment of bills, it also has a translator for those who may be communicating in different languages.
It also has an entertainment gateway which allows one to stream entertainment content straight from the application.
Perhaps as a life hack for Zimbabweans, buying ZESA can be complicated at month ends, Sasai is usually efficient when all the other platforms are not working properly.
However, there have been concerns on the security of the platform, coders and tech enthusiasts are yet to give credible reviews of its encryption.
During the 2018 election, people received text messages from a certain political party without their consent, from then there is a bit of scepticism around the manner in which mobile network operators handle subscriber data.
There is fear that when pressured by authorities, they may fail to safeguard client information and as a result, the uptake has been low.
The internet is evolving and so are platforms, there is a need for users to ensure that they keep abreast with changes on platforms they are on. In the era where data can be manipulated or weaponised, there is a need to stay “woke” as the millennials would put it.
