5 ms·

Well, let’s see how long it takes for FB, WhatsApp, Snapchat to migrate to alt-store. The nag screens and the the tug-of-war and victim playing over user data a

by eecc 4y ago

Well, let’s see how long it takes for FB, WhatsApp, Snapchat to migrate to alt-store. The nag screens and the the tug-of-war and victim playing over user data access. Apple must play its hand carefully, or it’ll be IE toolbars all over

smoldesu 4y ago
It doesn't really seem to be a problem on MacOS.
- giantrobot 4y ago
  There's tens of millions of Mac users and hundreds of millions of iOS users. There's literally an order of magnitude difference in the size of the user base. It will be a problem on iOS because the user base is large and lucrative.
  - smoldesu 4y ago
    There's billions of Android devices and billions of Windows PCs. They made it work.
- SalimoS 4y ago
  I'm sure your parent won't want to install the facebook app so they can talk to family oversee but now i'm already imagining fb app will be from alt-store with all the tracking reactivated and yes i don't use fb/have the app but try to explain in to elders/no tech people
  - smoldesu 4y ago
    If you're concerned about that, you shouldn't let them use Facebook in the first place. Hell, if tracking is your concern then they probably shouldn't be using a smartphone at all. If Facebook truly does use this as the opportunity to ruin their UX, then maybe your parents switch to Signal or iMessage.
    - kitsunesoba 4y ago
      Getting people to switch from FB Messenger or especially WhatsApp (which is effectively the default messenger in many parts of the world) is a monumental task. One wouldn't need to just convince their family, but their family would also need to convince their circles and so on and so forth. This is what's scary, because it means that Facebook has what's effectively a massive captive audience with its messengers.
      - smoldesu 4y ago
        That's kinda a bogus concern. As-is, Facebook can already declare that they're moving all WhatsApp clients to their New Web Version and remove all the versions off the App Store. Same goes for the rest of their apps, and it's fully possible on Android too. But, they don't. Realistically there's no reason for them to exist anywhere besides the App/Play Store, as long as those platforms play fair. This is a real strawman argument though, considering it's fully possible in the status quo. The problem isn't Apple or the government, it's that Facebook already has a disproportionate amount of control over your life. Apple cannot save you from that with a software update.
      - ThatPlayer 4y ago
        That's exactly what this law also targets that by forcing big messaging services to open up to interoperability with other services.
- eecc 4y ago
  Desktops provide all the tracking available on the platform through the browser.
wmf 4y ago
The exact same nag screens (or worse) will still apply; they'll be implemented at the OS level not the app store.
- Aulig 4y ago
  I think you could do enough fingerprinting (via otherwise harmless functions) to identify users even without access to the advertising ID (that requires the tracking permission).
  - frumper 4y ago
    I'm a little confused, but maybe someone from the adtech space can answer this. If you're logged into Facebook, why would they need another identifier for you?
Apocryphon 4y ago
I really doubt that Meta will slit their own throats and give more users an excuse to not download or update their apps, by introducing the friction of having to deal with yet another account to manage for another store: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30808926 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30808926

by eecc 4y ago

smoldesu 4y ago

It doesn't really seem to be a problem on MacOS.

giantrobot 4y ago
There's tens of millions of Mac users and hundreds of millions of iOS users. There's literally an order of magnitude difference in the size of the user base. It will be a problem on iOS because the user base is large and lucrative.
- smoldesu 4y ago
  There's billions of Android devices and billions of Windows PCs. They made it work.
SalimoS 4y ago
I'm sure your parent won't want to install the facebook app so they can talk to family oversee but now i'm already imagining fb app will be from alt-store with all the tracking reactivated and yes i don't use fb/have the app but try to explain in to elders/no tech people
- smoldesu 4y ago
  If you're concerned about that, you shouldn't let them use Facebook in the first place. Hell, if tracking is your concern then they probably shouldn't be using a smartphone at all. If Facebook truly does use this as the opportunity to ruin their UX, then maybe your parents switch to Signal or iMessage.
  - kitsunesoba 4y ago
    Getting people to switch from FB Messenger or especially WhatsApp (which is effectively the default messenger in many parts of the world) is a monumental task. One wouldn't need to just convince their family, but their family would also need to convince their circles and so on and so forth. This is what's scary, because it means that Facebook has what's effectively a massive captive audience with its messengers.
    - smoldesu 4y ago
      That's kinda a bogus concern. As-is, Facebook can already declare that they're moving all WhatsApp clients to their New Web Version and remove all the versions off the App Store. Same goes for the rest of their apps, and it's fully possible on Android too. But, they don't. Realistically there's no reason for them to exist anywhere besides the App/Play Store, as long as those platforms play fair. This is a real strawman argument though, considering it's fully possible in the status quo. The problem isn't Apple or the government, it's that Facebook already has a disproportionate amount of control over your life. Apple cannot save you from that with a software update.
    - ThatPlayer 4y ago
      That's exactly what this law also targets that by forcing big messaging services to open up to interoperability with other services.
eecc 4y ago
Desktops provide all the tracking available on the platform through the browser.

wmf 4y ago

The exact same nag screens (or worse) will still apply; they'll be implemented at the OS level not the app store.

Aulig 4y ago
I think you could do enough fingerprinting (via otherwise harmless functions) to identify users even without access to the advertising ID (that requires the tracking permission).
- frumper 4y ago
  I'm a little confused, but maybe someone from the adtech space can answer this. If you're logged into Facebook, why would they need another identifier for you?

Apocryphon 4y ago

I really doubt that Meta will slit their own throats and give more users an excuse to not download or update their apps, by introducing the friction of having to deal with yet another account to manage for another store: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30808926 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30808926