"Business on WhatsApp is tough now -- but am I really a businesswoman?" Exploring Challenges with Adapting to Changes in WhatsApp Business
Journal:
arXiv
Published Date:
Feb 15, 2025
Abstract
This study examines how WhatsApp has evolved from a personal communication
tool to a professional platform, focusing on its use by small business owners
in India. Initially embraced in smaller, rural communities for its ease of use
and familiarity, WhatsApp played a crucial role in local economies. However, as
Meta introduced WhatsApp Business with new, formalized features, users
encountered challenges in adapting to the more complex and costly platform.
Interviews with 14 small business owners revealed that while they adapted
creatively, they felt marginalized by the advanced tools. This research
contributes to HCI literature by exploring the transition from personal to
professional use and introduces the concept of Coercive Professionalization. It
highlights how standardization by large tech companies affects marginalized
users, exacerbating power imbalances and reinforcing digital colonialism,
concluding with design implications for supporting community-based
appropriations.
