The Limitations of Facebook Groups and WhatsApp for Building Strong Communities

Image hat shows Facebook privacy issues theme

Online communities have become an integral part of modern life, allowing people to connect, share interests, and support one another. However, not all digital spaces are created equal when it comes to fostering meaningful, long-lasting communities. Two of the most popular platforms used for community building – Facebook groups and WhatsApp – actually have significant limitations that can undermine the very communities they aim to create.

The Issues with Facebook Groups

Facebook groups have long been touted as a way for people to come together around shared interests and goals. While they can serve this purpose to some degree, Facebook’s business model and platform design work against the needs of healthy communities:

  1. Algorithmic Feeds: Facebook’s news feed algorithm is designed to maximize engagement and time spent on the platform, often by surfacing the most controversial or sensational content. This can lead to the spread of misinformation, polarization, and a general erosion of constructive dialogue within groups.
  2. Lack of Moderation Tools: Facebook’s moderation tools are notoriously limited, making it difficult for group admins to effectively manage large or active communities. This can result in toxic behavior, spam, and other disruptive issues that fragment the community.
  3. Data Privacy Concerns: Facebook’s track record on data privacy and the use of personal information has raised significant concerns, making many users wary of sharing sensitive information or building deep connections within Facebook-owned platforms.
  4. Limited data portability: Although some data can be exported from Facebook groups directly or using third-parties, there is no easy way to rebuild the community on another platform.

The Drawbacks of WhatsApp for Communities

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, is another platform that is commonly used for community building, particularly among smaller groups. However, WhatsApp also has limitations that make it a less-than-ideal choice:

  1. Closed and Siloed: WhatsApp is a closed, private messaging platform, which means that communities built within it are effectively siloed off from the broader internet. This can make it difficult for the community to grow, attract new members, or collaborate with other related groups.
  2. Lack of Moderation and Structure: Unlike forums or dedicated community platforms, WhatsApp groups lack robust moderation tools and structural features that help cultivate healthy, productive discussions. This can lead to the same issues seen in Facebook groups, such as the spread of misinformation and the dominance of a few vocal members.
  3. Limited Functionality: WhatsApp is primarily designed for one-on-one and small-group messaging, not for the kind of dynamic, multi-faceted interaction that thriving online communities require. Features like searchable archives, event planning, and integrated tools are often lacking.
  4. Lack of data portability: What happens in WhatsApp stays in WhatsApp. When your organisation outgrows it, it is not possible to move the data to another platform. You would have to start from scratch.

Building Stronger Communities with Dedicated Platforms

While Facebook groups and WhatsApp can serve as entry points for community building, they ultimately fall short of providing the features, privacy, and control that community organizers need to create truly engaged, long-lasting groups.

To build stronger, more sustainable online communities, it is often better to use dedicated community platforms such as iTribe, Hivebrite or HumHub, that are designed with the needs of community builders in mind. These platforms offer better moderation tools, more flexible and customizable features, and a greater sense of ownership and control for community members.

Conclusion

By choosing the right tools and platforms, community organizers can create spaces that foster meaningful connections, facilitate constructive dialogue, and support the long-term growth and resilience of their communities.