The only difference is that electron wrapper is a browser that works for them, not for you.

[floe@hci.social]

@mhoye plus you can package a lot more intrusive shit alongside Electron, let's say address book extraction

[jwz@mastodon.social]

@mhoye I like @pluralistic's line, "An app is just a web-page wrapped in enough IP to make it a felony to block ads in it".

[sakhavi@aoir.social]

@mhoye Often wonder if I’m the only user who gets their email from the mobile web. Boy does the platform hate it. I don’t know what is forcing them to keep allowing it instead of simply forcing people to use their app if they ever want to see their data again, but there must be something, bc I KNOW they’re not maintaining this version voluntarily.

[prsxfeng@mas.to]

@jwz @mhoye @pluralistic

There is also a very pesky anti adblocker on the web that is coming for mobile.

Ad-Shield Now Restores In-App Ads For Adblocking Traffic - Ad-Shield

Ad-Shield launches in-app ad recovery for adblocking traffic. Android beta live, iOS coming soon — restore lost revenue from VPN and network-level dark traffic.

(www.ad-shield.io)

[jwz@mastodon.social]

@PRSXFENG @mhoye @pluralistic Default Reader Mode FTW https://jwz.org/b/yk21

[pluralistic@mamot.fr]

@jwz @PRSXFENG @mhoye I use "Kill sticky" instead of "hide distracting" but same thing:

GitHub - t-mart/kill-sticky: Bookmarklet to remove sticky elements and restore scrolling to web pages!

Bookmarklet to remove sticky elements and restore scrolling to web pages! - t-mart/kill-sticky

GitHub (github.com)

(also works for pesky toolbars and any other element whose CSS is set to "stick" when the user scrolls)

[vintageveloce@techhub.social]

@jwz @mhoye @pluralistic
Never use an app when the webpage will do.

[robinadams@mathstodon.xyz]

@PRSXFENG @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic "Publishers are increasingly focused on building owned audiences."

Shhhh, you're not supposed to say that part out loud.

[yuman@defcon.social]

@jwz @mhoye @pluralistic I know at least one of y'all hates the A-word, but my lineageOS with adaway commits them felonies daily, with zero ads in any apps

[prsxfeng@mas.to]

@robinadams @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic

they say some wild stuff, check out other blog posts
https://www.ad-shield.io/blog/will-restoring-ads-for-dark-traffic-harm-user-experience

"Recover where there is clear user tolerance. IT-level environments, bundled solutions, default opt-ins — audiences where blocking was never an explicit user choice."

yeah right, the IT Manager made the decision, and you overrode it with some wild justifications

[davidgerard@circumstances.run]

@sakhavi @mhoye [huge banner] GO USE THE APP

.

.

.

[tiny link to the fuckin web page]

[groupnebula563@mastodon.social]

@PRSXFENG @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic i just used their "free consultation" form to request a consultation on meatspin dot com. hope they enjoy that

[groupnebula563@mastodon.social]

@PRSXFENG @mhoye @pluralistic ...ew jwz is in this thread

[fred@social.fthevenet.eu]

@jwz @mhoye @pluralistic

[prsxfeng@mas.to]

@GroupNebula563

you should view source on that webpage, the data validation is entirely vibe coded lol

[prsxfeng@mas.to]

@pluralistic

Oh by the way, these guys holds some patents

US-12438933-B2

"Method and device for providing advertisement by counteracting on violent advertisement blocking function "

[prsxfeng@mas.to]

Oh by the way.

In case you weren't aware

they're the folks behind html-load[.]com and report.error-report[.]com

You've probably seen them around

[ams@infosec.exchange]

@PRSXFENG @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic Wow that's dark.

[jhb17@mastodon.online]

@PRSXFENG @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic

What the HELL are they smoking?

Your users will welcome you trying to defeat their attempts to defeat your ads. ?

[cwbussard@ioc.exchange]

@ianjs @PRSXFENG @jwz @mhoye @pluralistic

"I especially like 'Revenue lost from an audience of which 85% expects or accepts ads'. You mean, the ones who went to the trouble of blocking them?"

Exactly. This isn't any use to someone actually trying to sell a product or service. There probably isn't a single person on earth -- not even one -- who's going to go, "Oh gee, you bypassed my ad-blocker, but, instead of being pissed off at you, I'm going to take a look at your ad, click it, and buy the advertised product."

What's the point then? Probably ad fraud. Charging the companies trying to sell products/services for showing their ad more times, even though those additional showings have zero chance of leading to a sale.