WhatsApp has become one of society’s main communication tools. It’s an ideal instant messaging platform for communicating with friends and family.
However, there are many reasons why using WhatsApp as your school’s communication app is a bad idea.
Here are some of them:
Data privacy
WhatsApp has been widely criticized for failing to protect data privacy, so using it as an official channel for sending information is not recommended, especially when it comes to sensitive data.
And remember that Facebook (now Meta) owns this app, which has been accused on several occasions of sharing information with companies.
Security
This is another known problem with the platform, and one that we as individuals are likely to accept.
And to a large extent, WhatsApp’s security problems stem from the fact that it is, by far, the most universal messaging platform.
In the specific case of Spain, it is used by 75% of the population, which is equivalent to 35.8 million users, making it the social network with the most users in the country.
But… do you want to take on security risks as an educational institution?
Invasion of personal life
As we’ve explained, it’s a communication tool associated with personal and private life. Therefore, using it for other purposes means breaking down this barrier and mixing messages from your educational institution with the student’s private conversations on the same platform.
And this is often a drawback, since personal information will always be more interesting to the user than information shared by your educational institution.
Channel saturation
WhatsApp is a commonly used channel, especially for the generation we’re targeting. Therefore, standing out and being read within such a saturated platform will be a challenge for the school.
Do you really want to compete with all the other messages, voice notes, memes, and photos sent by their friends and family?
To be silenced
If you choose to use groups, the saturation will be even greater, as you’ll receive all the replies from the different group members.
We all know how intense WhatsApp groups can get… and we all know how we end up behaving as users.
So yes, it’s quite likely that the student will end up muting the group to avoid being bombarded. And this will mean that when they do access the content, they’ll skim it and won’t consume all the information we really want them to know.
Inappropriate content
Making appropriate use of the channel will be easy for the university, but what about for the students?
Sending inappropriate content, taking screenshots, and similar actions are easily carried out by students, and even if you’re a group administrator, you won’t have any control over the content.
So this is certainly another good reason to avoid using WhatsApp as your university’s official communication channel.
Lack of consent
It may seem obvious, but do you have the students’ consent to communicate with them through this channel?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires you to have explicit consent, and failure to comply can result in very high penalties.
Better to avoid unnecessary risks, right?
Do you still have doubts?
In short, WhatsApp is the leading instant messaging app, but it’s not a good official communication channel for a university, business school, or educational institution.
Therefore, if you’d like to explore other apps for communicating with students quickly and effectively, check out our digital solutions for educational institutions or contact us.
