4 ms·

I take this as the best explanation why Reddit is pushing its app so hard, even though it has a one of the most visited websites in the world. It's not about us

by krn 8y ago

I take this as the best explanation why Reddit is pushing its app so hard, even though it has a one of the most visited websites in the world. It's not about user engagement with content. It's about user engagement with ads.

pjc50 8y ago
Indeed. A lot of work has been put into degrading the mobile experience with banners and prompts and delays to force users onto the app. Sensible people use BaconReader, but I wonder how long that will be allowed to continue.
- shostack 8y ago
  Are there in fact forced delays? Couldn't be sure it it was my connection or js bloat.
  - badpenny 8y ago
    Every third-party Reddit and Facebook app I've tried has seemed as if it was throttled or blocked.
- snaky 8y ago
  Why not open source apps like RedReader? https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.quantumbadger.redreader/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.quantumbadger.redreader/
bhouston 8y ago
yes, you can not block ads in a native app. And they are so annoying on the reddit mobile app.
- pedrogpimenta 8y ago
  That depends. Blokada [1] does a pretty good job! [1] https://blokada.org/ https://blokada.org/
  - heavyset_go 8y ago
    Blokada is great, however I believe Reddit does a lot of paid native advertising and interweaving of ads within content. I don't believe the ads in the latter category are pulled from an ad server, they're served from the same source as real content. Could be wrong though, I haven't used Reddit in a while.
- pmlnr 8y ago
  You can block hosts on rooted phone easily, so if it's an ad network, it can be done. If it's first party, or in-content, ala tumblr, it's not been done yet, as far as I'm aware - that doesn't make it impossible though.
- wilgertvelinga 8y ago
  Yes you can, although it's slightly harder than installing a browser extension: https://pi-hole.net/ https://pi-hole.net/
bad_user 8y ago
I’ve said it multiple times ... aggressive ad-blocking is hurting the open web, because publishers need a revenue stream to survive and they won’t go down without a fight. This means shitty native apps, walled gardens and DRM.
- AlexandrB 8y ago
  Ads hurt the open web, because advertisers normally don't want to show up alongside even moderately risqué content. If we want sites with real freedom of expression, we have to find a real way to pay for it - via crowdfunding, micropayments, or whatever.
- heavyset_go 8y ago
  > This means shitty native apps, walled gardens and DRM. This was the case before ad-blocking was popular. Native apps with spyware and malware were the norm before web apps became a viable way to ensure people couldn't copy software. DRM was around before most people had internet access, for example, CSS on DVDs was introduced in 1996[1]. For a lot of people, their first introduction the internet was through a walled garden[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_Scramble_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_Scramble_System [2] AOL's 'Walled Garden' (2000): https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB968104011203980910 https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB968104011203980910
heavyset_go 8y ago
There's also the fact that native apps can collect more data on a user than web apps.

by krn 8y ago

pjc50 8y ago

Indeed. A lot of work has been put into degrading the mobile experience with banners and prompts and delays to force users onto the app. Sensible people use BaconReader, but I wonder how long that will be allowed to continue.

shostack 8y ago
Are there in fact forced delays? Couldn't be sure it it was my connection or js bloat.
- badpenny 8y ago
  Every third-party Reddit and Facebook app I've tried has seemed as if it was throttled or blocked.
snaky 8y ago
Why not open source apps like RedReader? https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.quantumbadger.redreader/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.quantumbadger.redreader/

bhouston 8y ago

yes, you can not block ads in a native app. And they are so annoying on the reddit mobile app.

pedrogpimenta 8y ago
That depends. Blokada [1] does a pretty good job! [1] https://blokada.org/ https://blokada.org/
- heavyset_go 8y ago
  Blokada is great, however I believe Reddit does a lot of paid native advertising and interweaving of ads within content. I don't believe the ads in the latter category are pulled from an ad server, they're served from the same source as real content. Could be wrong though, I haven't used Reddit in a while.
pmlnr 8y ago
You can block hosts on rooted phone easily, so if it's an ad network, it can be done. If it's first party, or in-content, ala tumblr, it's not been done yet, as far as I'm aware - that doesn't make it impossible though.
wilgertvelinga 8y ago
Yes you can, although it's slightly harder than installing a browser extension: https://pi-hole.net/ https://pi-hole.net/

bad_user 8y ago

I’ve said it multiple times ... aggressive ad-blocking is hurting the open web, because publishers need a revenue stream to survive and they won’t go down without a fight. This means shitty native apps, walled gardens and DRM.

AlexandrB 8y ago
Ads hurt the open web, because advertisers normally don't want to show up alongside even moderately risqué content. If we want sites with real freedom of expression, we have to find a real way to pay for it - via crowdfunding, micropayments, or whatever.
heavyset_go 8y ago
> This means shitty native apps, walled gardens and DRM. This was the case before ad-blocking was popular. Native apps with spyware and malware were the norm before web apps became a viable way to ensure people couldn't copy software. DRM was around before most people had internet access, for example, CSS on DVDs was introduced in 1996[1]. For a lot of people, their first introduction the internet was through a walled garden[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_Scramble_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_Scramble_System [2] AOL's 'Walled Garden' (2000): https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB968104011203980910 https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB968104011203980910

heavyset_go 8y ago

There's also the fact that native apps can collect more data on a user than web apps.