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322

Reddit experimenting with blocking mobile browsers (old.reddit.com)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by lynny@lemmy.world to c/technology@beehaw.org

289 comments fedilink hide all child comments

As quoted from the linked post.

It looks like you’re part of one of our experiments. The logged-in mobile web experience is currently unavailable for a portion of users. To access the site you can log on via desktop, the mobile apps, or wait for the experiment to conclude.

This is separate from the API issue. This will actually BLOCK you from even viewing reddit on your phone without using the official app.

Archive.org link in case the post is removed.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230611224026/https://old.reddit.com/r/help/comments/135tly1/helpdid_reddit_just_destroy_mobile_browser_access/jim40zg/

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[–] overlordror@beehaw.org 9 points 1 year ago (12 children)

People need to understand that this is about tracking your eyeballs. Reddit viewed on a webpage does not provide the metadata they want. What metadata does the app provide? Things you wouldn't think about wanting as a human, but the aggregate is very valuable.

Stuff like how long did you watch that video Ad? Where did you click on screen and at what time? What content were you viewing and what course of action did you take to get there? Web viewing only shows the landing page you arrived on reddit from and the exit page that took you away from reddit. Performing these actions in the app provides metadata cookie crumbs like a trail of roach shit to every single thing you've done on reddit in micro activities.

[–] darkkite@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago (8 children)

I'm not sure. I've worked at companies using amplitude and hotjar that can record all click event and sessions on web

[–] 0x1C3B00DA@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Users can block those with extensions so the data isn't as reliable

[–] 42triangles@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Users can block those on desktop without issue. On mobile it's a bit harder so most people I know don't even if they use ublock or something on their PCs/laptops (though that is of course only anecdotal).

So if anything if that was the issue they should've shut off support for the desktop version LOL /s

[–] 0x1C3B00DA@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

It's not as common to push users to apps on desktop, but its a tried-and-true practice on mobile. I'm sure companies would do it if they could, but app stores and app lockin aren't as strong on desktop as on mobile

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