I have recently started a new position and am required to use an app that has three Facebook trackers, one of them being a Facebook location tracker according to Exodus App Privacy in order to get your food when it would literally work perfectly fine ordering to a real cashier or shit even a website rather than having to download an app.
I have also read many stories of people that live in apartments that require them to use a mobile app for god damn LAUNDRY. All you need, is a card reader, and it will work perfectly fine like it has been for the longest time.
Privacy concerns aside, it is just annoying that you need this app and that app and this app and that app and it just clutters space on your phone. Security concerns too as now they have all of this additional info on you online, such as your phone number your email your real name, instead of just your credit card info like a card reader would have. And I am willing to guarantee that their security model is absolute horseshit because they have such a small team of engineers working on the app and the servers.
Literal enshitification
Magne
NextDNS.io can block the trackers in the apps
This is why if a service cannot be used in a hardened browser, I usually pass.
I am okay-ish about a service collecting some of the data I generate while using the service, but not much beyond that.
I’m guessing the reason for most things forcing you to use an app is less because of data harvesting, and more because it increases repeated use.
When you have to go to your browser and remember to check a website it’s harder to create a habit. If you have an icon flashing on your home screen every day it’s much easier to remember to go to their site. Sure you can “Add to Home screen” functionality, but average users don’t even know that exists.
It also feels like a bespoke app is more “professional” than a website, despite many apps secretly just being a website anyway.
That said, they are definitely harvesting your data. I just don’t think that’s the main reason for most apps.
Similarly I hate that everything requires an app when a webpage works absolutely fine.
Nothing more infuriating than sites that have a fully (or half) working mobile version but then force you to use the app (stars eyes at reddit)
Tangentially related, but I hate eating at Chili’s because they have little screens on every table. I don’t mind restaurants having a ton or TVs because they’re playing sports games and people want to watch them. Each of these POS machines has constant ads playing though. You can pay with it (and probably order stuff) but you can also pay to play games. It’s insane.
