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It goes so much further than this and it is absolutely frighting. The following sketched situations applies if you don't use Facebook at ALL.

99+% of every single person you meet has either FB, IG or WA installed on their phones and shares their phonebooks with them (assuming you live in [insert western country here]). There is also a very big chance at least some have your full name and address in their phonebook. Facebook not only knows who you are, but also who you are in contact with, when you meet new people and who they are. They also collect phone and text records with their apps so they also know the frequency that you have contact with them and they can even read the content of text messages (most people these permissions to the apps because it will automatically verify the associated phone number). Add all the location data, ssid/mac address collection and countless of other datapoints to it and they can draw out your entire life even when you don't use anything from facebook. There is no escape.



As a counterpoint I can think of dozens of personal acquaintances who are happily non-users and never interact with Facebook properties (retirees not into tech, busy executives, to cool for Facebook hipsters). If your country or social circle doesn't use WhatsApp, Facebook itself is already dying and Instagram is getting their lunch eaten by Tiktok.


FBs revenue growth doesn't agree with this perspective: https://twitter.com/JonErlichman/status/1354536238104064005


That is a very good point. But usually changes in revenue trail changes in adoption and/or engagement. Both when growing, and when slowing down.


> If your country or social circle doesn't use WhatsApp

Aside from China, Japan and Korea, do such countries exist?


The US is also pretty heavy on iMessage usage and FB messenger still dominates WhatsApp.


> 99+% of every single person you meet has either FB, IG or WA installed on their phones and shares their phonebooks with them

citation very much needed




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