WhatsApp yea or nay?

I like Whatsapp, it keeps our family in regular touch, and friends. And it's so easy to send photos too.
It's still amazing to me that I can take a photo and instantly send it to my friends in Australia, etc.

As a family, we all use Signal. But I think most of us have to keep WhatsApp for various groups we belong to.

I use it, but only for family, a couple of close friends, and our WhatsApp neighbour group. It’s useful for posting photographs. I draw the line at face time, on either WhatsApp or anywhere else. Definitely not my thing, staring at someone’s ceiling or worse, up their nose!

Re the (annoying) AI feature you can "invite" it into chats with real people to explain, clarify, offer an opinion etc.

Personally I'd rather check facts elsewhere and "report back".

Also we have enough ideas in our own family without inviting anyone/anything else to offer their two-pennyworth!

Same here - use WhatsApp with family and friends

Like most who like it, I do NOT join large groups on it!

Family, in various permutations, is what I love it for.

I also like my grandchildren sending me videos and voice messages and the free "phone" calls to the other side of the world, being able to read messages (and reply if I want to) at any time of day or night with no expectation to be "on call".

I sometimes chat to one friend on it when we are both working on something monotonous. Just put it on speaker. I could use a regular phone but we both have decent Internet and poor phone signals!

Our family WhatsApp group is hilarious, wouldn’t be without it.

Also have a gym pal group, which is very helpful and supportive.

I keep in touch with the teen GSs as they are happier using it rather than phone calls.

I find What's App very useful indeed.
However like others I feel it can be very tiresome and has it's drawbacks! In a large group everyone feels obliged to respond to messages and fear appearing uncaring if they don't jump on the band wagon!! I don't always respond. Does that make me unkind!? Hope not.

BlueBelle

I only use what’sApp with family or close friends so don’t get any bother at all just use it for messaging or photos
Any large group can get tedious

This……

I've never used WhatApp and never would, I don't see the need for it with various other electronic ways of communicating with each other.

My work's boss keeps pestering me to load it on my mobile for professional reasons saying if she needs to contact me but I've told her a thousand times ''if you can't see me face-to-face, postal mail, text, phone or email then where will it all end? I refuse to be connected to tons of boring apps 24/7/365!

So no, it's not for me!

I use it for friends and family, plus one group one which is muted all the time as I can't stand the constant pinging.

We have family groups.

So much easier to send messages or photos to everyone but only have to send it once

Yes for Family.

I was added to a old acquaintance social group, with some reluctance, a couple of years ago.
My idea of how it might go, soon came true.
I "archived" it, if that is the right word?
I have a look at it from time to time.
I commented on it once or twice since, but the rest of the time I dont even look at it.
Which reminds me, I ought to see the latest comments.
Even if someone is very ill on it, or even dies, I wouldnt notice for months.
Hmm. That is not good of me.

On the subject of that AI thing, I was in a bit of a muddle, trying to do several things at once like you do, and thought I was having a conversation with my sister. Turns out it was the AI thing instead! I phoned her to clarify some points and she didn't have the faintest idea what I was talking about!

It was a very friendly AI thing though ...

Yeah from me. It's such a useful way to send and receive information. I have family and friends groups, activity groups and a street group. I mute messages from some groups if they are very active but I check it every day.

I use it every day for friends and family and find it so helpful. However I have to get to grips with how voice messages work as I've started sending people weird little recordings without realising.

Use it for friends and family plus a three social groups I'm in for organising get togethers. I find it really useful.

What does the AI thing do? I’ve seen it but never used it on WhatsApp.

You can mute the group rather than delete it. I do that when one of the groups I’m in gets too intrusive. Sometimes people seem to think they have to reply to every message and a simple meeting reminder can drag on for hours. Just mute it until that stops then turn on the notifications again so you don’t miss the important messages? I find it much better than email, as you know when you get a message and don’t have to go looking (I get so many emails I don’t have notifications turned on for that).

I love WhatsApp - but not its new AI search thing which I keep meaning to "mute".

If I want AI I use Gemini directly.

I only use what’sApp with family or close friends so don’t get any bother at all just use it for messaging or photos
Any large group can get tedious