What’s up with all the goof- ups in WhatsApp? Ever since the app was launched in 2009, communication has had no boundaries in space and time. There is more connectivity between people. Gone are the days when one would not remember the special days of even family members.
Now, there are constant reminders about the birthdays of anyone with whom you are connected and everyone gets wished on his or her birthday and wedding anniversary.
However, a goof-up can occur if the day is not correct or if the wishes are not appropriate. My husband gets birthday wishes three times a year on his real birthday, certificate birthday and the wrong day that had somehow crept into his
Facebook page. He has no qualms and gladly accepts wishes from friends and relatives and anyone else he may not know at all.
My situation is different. Last year, my birthday started well with calls from my family and WhatsApp wishes from my college mates. Halfway through the day, the death of a classmate was shared in the group. Soon there was a medley of HBDs and RIPs which left me cringing.
The situation was worse for a friend in another WhatsApp group. The young woman’s husband passed away from a chronic disease. The information was immediately shared in the group and condolences started pouring in. The cremation was scheduled for the next day, which, unfortunately, was her birthday. One of the admins assigned to send greetings on the special days of each member did his duty by wishing her “Lots of fun and happiness”.
As is true of any large group, everyone did not know each other closely and a flurry of wishes came pouring in to the grieving woman. Someone suddenly realised the goof-up and posted about the funeral of so and so, the husband of so and so.Thereafter, the group decided to be mindful and avoid greetings on the day if any member is grieving.
Jan Koum, the founder of WhatsApp, could not have imagined the impact of his creation. He was barely 16 when he immigrated with his mother and grandmother to the U.S. from Kyiv. They sustained on state support for food. While working in Yahoo, he got an idea to develop an instant messaging app that can be used across the globe. Koum wanted to stay in touch with his friends in Ukraine. Thus Koum and his friend Brian Acton launched WhatsApp on February 24, 2009, Koum’s birthday. Currently, it is the commonest medium of communication used by more than two billion users globally in 180 countries.
At a personal level, WhatsApp rekindled my contact with long lost friends and out-of-touch relatives with whom all happenings are shared instantly. Small groups for a specific purpose are created with great ease, be it to share details about someone admitted in a hospital or for those planning to go on a birding camp. With so many active groups, the tendency to check and reply has become almost an addiction, extending from morning till night.
When my daughters see me ‘live’ in the family WhatsApp group, they message in exasperation. “What are you doing so late in the night? Blue light is not good for eyes. Don’t look at screen after 9 p.m.” I quickly type ‘good night’ and keep away the mobile.