Can you turn off the selfie image in WhatsApp?
Discussion
Evening all,
I travel a fair amount on business, and enjoy chatting with my wife on WhatsApp video calls when I'm away.
There is, however, a significant challenge with this. What with my wife being female and everything, she absolutely loathes the picture in picture selfie thumbnail because it makes her look less attractive than an airbrushed supermodel in a glossy magazine!
The question, therefore, is whether there is any way to turn this off? Turning the camera off obviously defeats the object of the call, as then I can't see her either, and whilst in theory she could just put a post it note on that part of the screen, that's hardly an elegant solution.
Alternatively, if it can't be done in WhatsApp, does anyone know of an alternative video calling app it can be done with? Android phones if that makes a difference.
I travel a fair amount on business, and enjoy chatting with my wife on WhatsApp video calls when I'm away.
There is, however, a significant challenge with this. What with my wife being female and everything, she absolutely loathes the picture in picture selfie thumbnail because it makes her look less attractive than an airbrushed supermodel in a glossy magazine!
The question, therefore, is whether there is any way to turn this off? Turning the camera off obviously defeats the object of the call, as then I can't see her either, and whilst in theory she could just put a post it note on that part of the screen, that's hardly an elegant solution.
Alternatively, if it can't be done in WhatsApp, does anyone know of an alternative video calling app it can be done with? Android phones if that makes a difference.
Douglas Quaid said:
If she can’t face looking at that tiny picture of herself how does she cope whenever she sees herself in a mirror?
I can sort of see her point. Nobody ever looks as bad in a mirror as they do in that selfie thumbnail! Even the aforementioned supermodels would look like they're starring in a zombie apocalypse film! 
Kermit power said:
Douglas Quaid said:
If she can’t face looking at that tiny picture of herself how does she cope whenever she sees herself in a mirror?
I can sort of see her point. Nobody ever looks as bad in a mirror as they do in that selfie thumbnail! Even the aforementioned supermodels would look like they're starring in a zombie apocalypse film! 
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Ah come on, look at where you hold your phone comfortably, it’s looking right up your bloody nose! I think her point is valid.
No laptop op? I use it on my MacBook which gives you a much more natural view.
No laptop op? I use it on my MacBook which gives you a much more natural view.
And if they're doing more, who wants to watch themselves getting gynaecological with a cucumber?
Sorry KP!
bingybongy said:
Sack WhatsApp off and install Telegram. Does everything WhatsApp does and more and doesn't belong to Facebook.
Well.... Apart from video calls, apparently, which rather eliminates it from the offset with regards to the topic of this thread!!! 
In all seriousness, though, having just had a little look on their website, I wouldn't touch that with someone else's bargepole!!!
At least with the likes of Facebook and Google, you know how they're approaching the internet adage of "if you're not paying for the product, you are the product", and you can choose whether you're happy to go along with that or not. Telegram, on the other hand, are asking you to believe that the entire thing is being funded philanthropically forever by some Russian bloke, and that they're running the no doubt significant technical infrastructure required to support tens of millions of active users' messaging requirements without making a penny out of those users or their data. Not for me, thanks!
Kermit power said:
bingybongy said:
Sack WhatsApp off and install Telegram. Does everything WhatsApp does and more and doesn't belong to Facebook.
Well.... Apart from video calls, apparently, which rather eliminates it from the offset with regards to the topic of this thread!!! In all seriousness, though, having just had a little look on their website, I wouldn't touch that with someone else's bargepole!!!
At least with the likes of Facebook and Google, you know how they're approaching the internet adage of "if you're not paying for the product, you are the product", and you can choose whether you're happy to go along with that or not. Telegram, on the other hand, are asking you to believe that the entire thing is being funded philanthropically forever by some Russian bloke, and that they're running the no doubt significant technical infrastructure required to support tens of millions of active users' messaging requirements without making a penny out of those users or their data. Not for me, thanks!
If they want my data which comprises me chatting inanities to a couple of mates they can have it.
I like it because it syncs over multiple devices.
bingybongy said:
So it doesn't, my apologies.
If they want my data which comprises me chatting inanities to a couple of mates they can have it.
I like it because it syncs over multiple devices.
No worries! If they want my data which comprises me chatting inanities to a couple of mates they can have it.
I like it because it syncs over multiple devices.
Yes, the multiple device thing is interesting. Whatsapp is great up to the point where you actually want to type a reasonably long message, then I'd love to be able to do it on a device with a proper keyboard...
I'm still concerned about what they're doing with your data though! I know FB and the like use it to monetise the offering they're giving me, and I don't have a problem with that, but when Telegram are claiming to be free forever with no commercial motivations, that just makes me suspicious....
Kermit power said:
bingybongy said:
So it doesn't, my apologies.
If they want my data which comprises me chatting inanities to a couple of mates they can have it.
I like it because it syncs over multiple devices.
No worries! If they want my data which comprises me chatting inanities to a couple of mates they can have it.
I like it because it syncs over multiple devices.
Yes, the multiple device thing is interesting. Whatsapp is great up to the point where you actually want to type a reasonably long message, then I'd love to be able to do it on a device with a proper keyboard...
I'm still concerned about what they're doing with your data though! I know FB and the like use it to monetise the offering they're giving me, and I don't have a problem with that, but when Telegram are claiming to be free forever with no commercial motivations, that just makes me suspicious....
I was annoyed when WhatsApp sold their soul to the devil; the problem is most of the people I know don't care and if I want to remain in touch with those people then I don't really have a choice but to continue with it (I will say that I do also have Telegram and Signal too though).
I know Facebook will be tracking me and linking my contacts to a shadow account so they know who I know, when I contact those contacts and how often etc. I'm almost resigned to the fact that existing in the modern world without several mega-corps holding vast amounts of data on you is nearly impossible these days and I hate it.
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