Apparently Europe finally got Whatsapp to enable 3rd party chats making it easier to switch to more privacy friendly alternatives article However the only other app that currently works with it is "BirdyChat"??
Have anybody found any news about when serious alternatives will be integrated?
The Birdy app requires a work email, which then gets you on a wait list, so that you can subject yourself to their data mining:
Data Categories:
The email address you use as username on BirdyChat network;
Your messages and media within messages;
User identifiers for blocked WhatsApp users;
Usage information including timestamps related to your communication with WhatsApp users;
Device and connection information such as IP address, operating system information and the BirdyChat version you are using;
General location information using your IP address;
Authentication information including encryption keys that WhatsApp encryption protocol uses;
WhatsApp user reports in case a WhatsApp user chooses to share this information with WhatsApp.