A billion people, or more now use the social and messaging app, WhatsApp monthly; but not just to maintain connections with friends and family, but also making it possible for news organisations to reach the far-flung corners of the globe where they are often blocked by the governments of those lands.
Take these examples for instance.
Tunisia
When a gunman with links to Islamic State extremists opened fire on a beach outside two hotels in Sousse, Tunisia; a total of 38 people were killed in that attack on 26 June 2015.
An eyewitness, Anthony Ryan recorded the incidence as it played out from his balcony, acting in the capacity of a journalist, albeit an impromptu one, details of which he sent to the BBC just as the news was breaking. Consider below.Nepal
Nepal
Last April, when one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit Nepal in decades happened, hundreds of people were killed, and many others were trapped and injured in the quake. Many of the first eyewitness accounts received by international news agencies like the BBC came from people who had used Whatsapp to capture the horrendous event.
Included in this number where local people, and the region’s many tourists who had gone on a hike of Mount Everest.
Besides these instances, many people also use Whatsapp to keep in touch with family members from whom they are separated by long distances. Some also use the app to send videos and pictures to family and friends especially when they are away on vacation, or when they are celebrating great milestones in their lives.
Nigeria
It is also not uncommon to hear people talk about Whatsapp calls, which are cheaper than standard calls made from SIM cards, whether you are calling locally or internationally. It does not even require that you have call credit on your phone, except mobile data which you get by subscribing weekly or monthly.
It seems the possibilities of what may be done on Whatsapp is endless; from shining a spotlight on an event that you may be the only eyewitness of, to keeping social contacts with friends and family.
Do you have your own special Whatsapp story that you would like to share? Perhaps, another interesting way in which you have used the app? Why not share that with others by commenting here!
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