wythranMay 17, 2023
Epidiah
And whose fault is that?
May 17, 2023 at 4:30amWeb
Show threadEpidiahMay 17, 2023

Absolutely did not expect to strike a chord with everyone else on this one.

I'm going to mute this so that my notifications don't spend the rest of the day blowing up. But thank you all for being so cool about it. So far, going micro-viral on Mastodon has been a far better experience than it ever was on Twitter.

Show threadJoe GreatheadMay 17, 2023
@epidiah EXACTLY
Show threadClockwork β˜ƒοΈβœ’οΈMay 17, 2023

@epidiah

When I read these I ALWAYS assume that the app can track something that the website can't and they WANT you to use the app for that reason.

Show threadLunar πŸ›Έ β™ΎMay 17, 2023
@clockwooork @epidiah Well, of course! Instead of just taking whatever they can get from your browser, they've got access to your whole device. Also makes it easier for them to send you notifications and get more of your screen time.
Show thread2xfoMay 17, 2023
@clockwooork @epidiah
It's true and now they won't let you leave the app if you click on a link. It opens in their browser and you can't alter any of its settings. I'm sure it's tracking, why else bother with this effort?
Show threadAllen StenhausMay 18, 2023
@clockwooork @epidiah This is the reason fast food places push so hard for you to download their app to order "exclusive" items. Their apps track as much as Facebook does. Terrifying...
Show threadrugkJun 10, 2023

@allenstenhaus @clockwooork @epidiah well don't want to say it likely does not matter, but if you ask them its just engagement statistics.

Not (only) getting them but the comparison. Its industries common knowledge: apps have much higher engagement and keep users in your app/let them use and interact much more. (Even for apps or services without any ads.)

Show threadThe Impulsive VulcanπŸ––May 17, 2023

@epidiah It does point to what I'll call "intentional shitification".

The whole "download my app!" incentive structure in general is a scourge.

Show threadI am Jack's Lost 404May 18, 2023

@scallopede @epidiah

Surveillance Shittification 

Show threadThe Impulsive VulcanπŸ––May 18, 2023

@float13 @epidiah

Yeah, the end-goal is always to get you fully immersed in the social media ecosystem where your desire metrics, thoughts and dreams can be measured and commodified to feed targeted advertisements into your unwilling maw.

Show threadKevin Karhan May 17, 2023
@epidiah PRECISELY!
Show threadDJ🌞May 17, 2023
@epidiah I think there's a few typos in the text. It should read "Install the app so we can monetize more of your data". What a misprint huh.
Show threadHowToPhilMay 17, 2023
@epidiah Agreed. Phone-centric UI is bullshit
Show threadrag. Gustavino BevilacquaMay 17, 2023

@epidiah

I want the "For me is good enough" button, too!

Show threadTux πŸͺΏMay 17, 2023
@epidiah Oh, Reddit.
Show threadAjax B. CorianderMay 17, 2023
@epidiah LMAO 🀣
Show thread@infosec_jcp πŸˆπŸƒ done differentlyMay 17, 2023

@epidiah

It's #JAFW (Just a FsckN Website) in my mind so... Yeah. Send me the HTML. Thnx πŸ˜†

Show threadpotatoxelMay 17, 2023
@epidiah they made it look worse themselves
Show threadRyan Poirier (@rgpphotog)May 17, 2023

@epidiah

Translation: ”We can't track you unless you use the app”

Show threadπŸ¦‹Amara J. LynnπŸ”₯β˜•οΈMay 17, 2023
@epidiah who's fault is it when the apps are so large I have to use it on mobile browser?πŸ˜‚
Show threadFrosty β„οΈπŸŒ¨οΈMay 17, 2023
@epidiah I find that sometimes they lie. The web version looks better
Show threadSlightlyCyberpunkMay 17, 2023
@epidiah I'm just happy they stopped telling me I could either use the app or open in Chrome when I visit from Firefox. I mean clicking to open in Chrome always just proceeded with Firefox anyway but it still annoyed the crap out of me lol
Show threadAsta McCarthyMay 17, 2023
@epidiah File a bug report so they can fix their webpage.
Show thread Why Not Zoidberg? πŸ¦‘May 17, 2023
@epidiah also in the app the adblocker doesn't work. Might have something to do with that message
Show threadEricMay 17, 2023
@epidiah
Show threadprozacchiwawaMay 17, 2023
@epidiah some day it's going to have been 20 years since i last installed somebody's app and discover that apps started supporting multiple tabs and pinch zoom 15 years ago.
Show threadKing Naga Calyo Lucere-DelphiMay 17, 2023
@epidiah "We want to encourage you to use a device that you probably don't have an adblocker installed on, where we can more easily collect marketable metrocs about you without your consent."
Show thread🌲🧿 "Max"tπŸ’½d🏡️n πŸ”ŽπŸ„May 17, 2023

@epidiah This is very annoying.

Also: "log in to join the conversation"

ok...guess I won't be "joining the conversation" then.

Show threadDieuMay 17, 2023
@epidiah I don't know, but it's a rather brutal indictment considering the abysmal UX nightmare that is the Reddit app.
Show threadAlan Langford πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸ§€πŸ§Šζ‘May 17, 2023
@epidiah "looks better" is code for "looks better for our big data gathering systems". Often it doesn't actually look any better in the app at all.
Show threadWhosyMay 17, 2023

@epidiah

A developer/moderator(?) for Reddit stated, at the time that they removed the option to disable the Reddit app popups, that it was to consolidate settings, and various other non-committal statements.

They tried to heavily imply the setting was returning elsewhere, without a single promise.

I really should dig back into that conversation..

Show threadWhosyMay 17, 2023

@epidiah

Ah I was slightly mistaken but here we go:

https://www.reddit.com/r/redditmobile/comments/y3f08p/comment/isaz5h8/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

[Android][2022.38.0] Stop trying to get me to install the app.

Thanks for brining this up - I'm gathering some information behind this issue, and I'll be back with an update once I know more. **Update**: Hey...

reddit
Show threaddehuszarMay 17, 2023
@epidiah this is my exact thought every time I see these prompts, immediately followed by, "sounds like your problem, not my problem" at which point I click the "stay here" button
Show threadftgMay 18, 2023
@epidiah
This is exactly my reaction.
Followed by "if the site is this slow and terrible, the app is gona be so much worse".
Show threadmattgMay 18, 2023
@epidiah "Hi, yeah we made this crummy, bloated mobile web site but we promise we way better at making apps!"
Show threaddonkeyMay 18, 2023
@epidiah @simon_w I remain convinced that this is code for β€œwe can track you better in our app.”
Show threadMarieMay 18, 2023

@epidiah

Translated: our ad revenue is better in the app

Show threadDiabolic PreacherMay 18, 2023
@epidiah This app looks better in the Trash
Show threadMolly in MissouriMay 18, 2023
@epidiah It's also untrue. I use excellent ad blockers and deshittification add-ons with Firefox, and as a result am rewarded with a superior online experience without letting the apps install all the garbage Corporate wants me to tote around with me so it's easier for them to 'tailor' advertising to 'suit my interests.'
#FuckCapitalism
Show threadRhetRxMay 18, 2023
@epidiah that always translates to me as β€œPlease let us have more of your data! Use our tools to view content you already paid for!” No. No, I will not.
Show threadGustavoMay 18, 2023
@epidiah I set up a userscript that redirects to an alternative UI. There is no login on this UI, but that's a good thing.
Show threadMeowcity.club's domain got revokedMay 18, 2023
@epidiah I think it's...nah, it can't be reddit's fault. Must be the entirety of web standards.
Show threadMawokaMay 18, 2023
@epidiah Plot twist: This looks better in the browser
Show threadJohannesMay 18, 2023
@epidiah in an App that is very likely just a browser with some crap bolted onto it?
Show threadCaleb MaclennanMay 18, 2023
@epidiah My thought every time. What they really mean is "please install the app so we can track you better and send you push notifications later to get you back, and in return we'll let you use our slightly more developed wesite in an app wrapper."
Show threadlp0 on fire May 18, 2023
β€œooks better in the app” (as viewed inline) – I blame the Librarian.
Show threadπŸŽ€π“€π’Άπ“ƒπ‘’π‘’π“πŸŽ€May 18, 2023
@epidiah Head Of Product and Head Of Marketing
Show threadJeff PalmerMay 18, 2023
@epidiah This is a dark pattern.
Show threadJordan KayMay 18, 2023
@epidiah The Web’s.
Show threadjuliusloeweMay 19, 2023
@epidiah Ouuuuuu snap
Show threadJeffMay 20, 2023

@epidiah

"We intentionally made this page look worse in your browser."

Show threadArtilectZedJun 10, 2023
@epidiah https://github.com/libreddit/libreddit
GitHub - libreddit/libreddit: Private front-end for Reddit

Private front-end for Reddit. Contribute to libreddit/libreddit development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
Show threadjunoJun 10, 2023
@epidiah @tmcarr economics
Show threadEric VitielloJun 10, 2023
@epidiah Wait I thought things like electron were just as good as native UI
Show threadNina KalininaJun 11, 2023
@epidiah plot twist: app is Electron
Show threadNate BarhamJun 11, 2023
@epidiah @shantini Thank you! Literally every time I see this.
Show threadHippo πŸ‰Jun 11, 2023

@epidiah adding to the flood: it's even more annoying when I get this on my #KaiOS browser, because they haven't even *provided* an app for me to install πŸ”

And whose fault is that?

Show threadSlatian.tar.gzJun 11, 2023
@epidiah This app could have been a website …
Show threadxejtJun 11, 2023
@epidiah πŸ‘
Show threadFossery Tech  Jun 11, 2023
@epidiah web devs are lazy lol