While everyone’s talk about collecting data has some truth, a big part is just because an app often works better than the website.
If you wanted to use Mastodon only through the mobile’s web, the display would be messed up (because of the tiny screen), and you wouldn’t be able to flip between accounts so easily.
While websites try to do everything for everyone, a specialized app can do one job, and do it well.
While mass data collection is not hard to stop on website (blocking Datadome JS), it still uses Fastly tracker which even third party apps need, otherwise you cannot login or comment.
Reddit has been part of USA propaganda machinery since many years, as evidently proven by Eglin Air Force Base employees being used as USA government’s troll farms. These days they warn and ban people who call out Russophobia and Nazism.
Reddit is unusable on mobile if you don’t install a third party app. A thread with 6 comments will require 3 click to display the whole thing. Fuck that
I would use any privacy-respecting FOSS frontend for Reddit (such as Libreddit, Teddit, etc.). Only when (if) you need to comment, you have to go through all the Reddit bloat.
Yeah, there are a few such apps, which would work just as well. However, as you say, they do not provide proxies. It is then up to each one of us to decide what our intent and threat model is. I hope you find what works best for you.
While everyone’s talk about collecting data has some truth, a big part is just because an app often works better than the website.
If you wanted to use Mastodon only through the mobile’s web, the display would be messed up (because of the tiny screen), and you wouldn’t be able to flip between accounts so easily.
While websites try to do everything for everyone, a specialized app can do one job, and do it well.
Some companies simply want to be found in the app stores for marketing reasons
Apps make it easier to invade your privacy and collect data. Data == Money.
While mass data collection is not hard to stop on website (blocking Datadome JS), it still uses Fastly tracker which even third party apps need, otherwise you cannot login or comment.
Reddit has been part of USA propaganda machinery since many years, as evidently proven by Eglin Air Force Base employees being used as USA government’s troll farms. These days they warn and ban people who call out Russophobia and Nazism.
Because it makes it easier to collect data on you. Plus, a system-wide VPN addblocker is a lot harder than a browser extension.
Mobile apps can access functionality and integrate in a way that a website can’t.
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yeah, see the major sites Reddit, Facebook, Instagram
AlliExpress! Omg the mobile website is horrible
At least facebook did gradually… Reddit went in a year from an open sources plateform to a full on surveillance one.
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It sucks :(
Reddit is unusable on mobile if you don’t install a third party app. A thread with 6 comments will require 3 click to display the whole thing. Fuck that
I would use any privacy-respecting FOSS frontend for Reddit (such as Libreddit, Teddit, etc.). Only when (if) you need to comment, you have to go through all the Reddit bloat.
An app like redreader is faster on my old phone than any browser option and doesn’t require login either. However it doesn’t proxy my browsing…
Yeah, there are a few such apps, which would work just as well. However, as you say, they do not provide proxies. It is then up to each one of us to decide what our intent and threat model is. I hope you find what works best for you.
Better ability to collect data
Yes and I bet sadly often more engagement as well.
Definitely, especially when the app starts spamming you with notifications.