Had to download #WhatsApp the other day and I'm amazed at how it effectively *requires* access to your contacts.

If you try to even send a message, it immediately asks for access to your contacts, and if you say "no" it just stops and you can't send a message. I'm not getting tricked into giving my social graph to #Meta again.

What's crazier is that a friend downloaded it at the same time but *could* send a message without giving access to contacts. Apparently their #iPhone app support this while the #Android app does not.

So my friend could initiate a conversation with me, and I can view and respond. But I can't initiate a conversation with them. (I wonder if this was a requirement of Apple's review?)

Seriously, fuck off with these privacy-invasive designs. There is no valid reason for this.