this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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I wanted to try Boost then saw the data collection and noped out.
If you pay for ad-free the admob library isn't loaded
I just used my play store credit. Easy peasy lemon squeezy
It's literally less than most cups of coffee to correct that issue forever. Ad supported software is standard practice for the last 20+ years, having the option to cheaply opt out of it completely is actually uncommon and shouldn't be completely glossed over like it doesn't matter.
It's bloody brilliant. Better than any of the other apps I tried.
I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm not going to gatekeep what apps people use.
Yeah I'm more than willing to pay for apps, but I hate spyware. I wish instead of ads there was just like a $5-10 price, or a subscription of like $2 a month or something along those lines. (Idk what the actual cost to develop the app is, I'm just spitballing prices)
fuck subscription services
With a capital F
If you hate ads, but you also don't want to pay a subscription, then what you're really saying is "fuck developers".
Fuck developers who implement subscription services
I'd rather pay 100 bucks for something and own it for life than pay 0.99 a month and lose it when their servers go down
The data collection is just for the ad-supported version.
Ok that's a little better than I thought it was. However it is still proprietary, so you just have to trust the dev collection is turned off.
And the developers of those ad libraries that the dev uses, too. Have a look at my other comment: https://sh.itjust.works/comment/3783324
Are the advertising libraries completely removed from the paid version, or is it just about not placing ads on the UI?
The ad library is only used when it is calling for ads. The paid version doesn't call that library, so it isn't present at all. The developer addresses this on another post.
I haven't yet looked into the lemmy client, but they don't necessarily have to call any function in that library for it to be active.
On one hand, there are the class variables in Java. When a class variable (a static one) has a value assigned at the place where the variable is declared, and the assignment is the result of a function call, afaik that will run when the class is loaded, which is basically every time the app is run. Same with static blocks.
On the other hand, on Android an app can have components that are automatically run in certain conditions, and which can be added by any programming library you have added to your project.
One such type of component is the BroadcastReceiver. These are mostly run on certain events broadcasted inside the app or through the whole system, but now I don't find whether any of those that Boost reddit uses are started by systemwide broadcasts. The other is the ContentProvider. These are started every time the app's process starts, but otherwise unconditionally. It's common for ad and tracking code to misuse this kind of components for being active as much as possible. Looking at the Boost reddit app, along others it has the following:
That's bog standard admob. If you have ANY app with ads on your phone you have already agreed to all of that so it's moot.
I just paid for it the moment I bought it because I want to support Ruben. Fantastic dev overall, anytime I had an issue with the reddit version he personal would respond and either patch it himself or already have an answer
The paid version doesn't have admob library
Ppl said the same about Sync but I'm still using it after using my play credit to pay for the ad free version 🤷🏻♂️
All that is removed with the pro version, but I understand the hesitation.
Lol I'm sure you have an app on your phone that does worse
Hell, Android itself probably does worse lmao
We do what we can. Privacy is not go full on paranoid or go home. I might have worse data collecting pos apps that I definitely need on my device but I at least use FOSS softwares from Fdroid whenever I can. It helps.
And?
And? It's silly to bail on an app you've been waiting for months for because "data collection" lmao (Data collection that was probably in the original boost anyways lolol)
Why is that silly? It's an individual choice, but for many of us that's a huge turn off when we are striving for less of that in the world and there are alternatives.
rofl one can still try to minimise data collection as a whole. Because one party spies on me, I don't have to let everyone do it. Lmao. You're just bringing whataboutism to a legitimate concern. Lel