bert hubert 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇺🇦
This is both terrifying and fascinating:
(UPDATE, this is from personal observation & post-emergency news reporting featuring WhatsApp screenshots from government people)
Sep 8, 2025 at 6:54pmWeb
Show threadWoonjasSep 8, 2025
@bert_hubert because (mobile) internet will not go down in an emergency right?
Show threadSindarina, Edge Case DetectiveSep 8, 2025
@bert_hubert "Wij zien de Verenigde Staten nog steeds als een bondgenoot" 🤪
Show threadshxSep 8, 2025
@bert_hubert parts of the private sector already moved on to Signal. Gov is as usual a bit behind the curve. ;)
OTOH all disaster recovery processes in private companies I saw in the past 20 years did include some free riding on semi-public infrastructure like IRC for communication.
Show threadbert hubert 🇺🇦🇪🇺🇺🇦Sep 8, 2025
@shx dutch government is on signal a lot. Politicians more on WhatsApp.
Show threadPaulSep 8, 2025
@bert_hubert it’s indeed quite terrifying but I can tell you that in the United Arab Emirates there is no discussion at all about leaving WhatsApp. And indeed, a lot of government services use WhatsApp too.
To the defence of the government of Emirates they do have excellent apps of their own like the UAEPASS and the UAEICP app.
Show threadDennis MansellSep 8, 2025
@Paul_Harts @bert_hubert ...and some pretty restrictive policies in place https://freedomhouse.org/country/united-arab-emirates/freedom-net/2024
United Arab Emirates: Freedom on the Net 2024 Country Report | Freedom House

See the Freedom on the Net 2024 score and learn about democracy and freedom in United Arab Emirates.

Freedom House
Show threadPaulSep 9, 2025
@dennmans @bert_hubert I know this list and indeed the United Arab Emirates scores badly. The weird thing is that while being in the UAE, I can access pretty critical stuff about the UAE without a VPN.
(Off topic: the use of VPNs is a bit of a grey area, legally speaking, in the UAE).
Show threadDennis MansellSep 9, 2025
@Paul_Harts @bert_hubert well, at least ActivityPub is getting through!
Show threadValentijn SessinkSep 9, 2025
@bert_hubert in other news: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/technology/whatsapp-whistleblower-lawsuit.html
You'd almost think that "Emergency Government Communications Platform" means that the government can read it in all circumstances...
Whistle-Blower Sues Meta Over Claims of WhatsApp Security Flaws

In a lawsuit filed Monday, the former head of security for the messaging app accused the social media company of putting billions of users at risk. Meta pushed back on his claim.

The New York Times