Progressive Web App.

Its like “installing” a website to your phone kinda. Usually if you open the menu on your mobile browser, if the site supports it there will be an option to install the site to your phone as a web app.

Still a privacy nightmare, with and without ads.

Seems like a very interesting app. Is it open source by any chance?

Nope, the GDPR allows data collection as long as the user explicits concents to it, and it doesn’t say services can’t be fee based. It’s not a workaround.

Better question is why is a privacy advocate using a platform owned by Meta in the first place.

Plus, although still stupid, you could simply connect from a US IP address, and since people that care about privacy already have VPNs, pretty trivial to do.

I’m certain it is. I sent an objection/data deletion request, and their “privacy info” pages are absolutely in violation of GDPR, because their forms are NOT reasonably accessible. I needed to use 3 separate mobile browsers and my desktop. When you finally get to the form, they ask some basic info, and the box where you’re supposed to make a request ends by asking something like “what rights do you believe are being violated, and why?”. The fucking gall on these cunts.

I planned on dropping some links, but they all have hard-coded non-functional redirects, which is intentional and absolutely infuriating. The redirects either just break like this one, which is suppose to be the one that contains a link to the form:

https://help.instagram.com/contact/117037592428568

Or they take you somewhere barely related, like this one which was the hidden start page for the form:

https://m.facebook.com/help/1221288724572426?wtsid=rdr_0bxiU4jakSVimlO8y

Or maybe it was this one? I can’t remember, because it doesn’t fucking take me to the page I saved the url for:

https://m.facebook.com/help/238318146535333?wtsid=rdr_0LKGtSJZTQyEH3R9N

Anyway, I’m mad if that’s not obvious. If you happen to find the form, you can try opting out. I haven’t heard back yet. Here’s the thorough and crystal fucking clear message I wrote, feel free to copy/share it:

The rights granted to me as a resident of an EEA country and a citizen of an EU member state, which are outlined in the GDPR, would be violated if Meta is non-compliant to my requests and objections. I’ve noted the exact sections within the GDPR outlining my rights, just before each pertaining request/objection, to explain why I believe my rights and freedoms are impacted by the data processing (although, I should not need to explain why).

I am exercising my right to object outlined in GDPR Article 21 Sections 1, 2, and 6:

I object to the processing and collection of my personal data for direct marketing, and request that no further collection or processing of my personal data is carried out.

I am also exercising my right to erasure outlined in GDPR Article 17 Section 1 (b) and ©:

I request that all of my collected and/or processed personal data be erased.

I am also exercising my right of access outlined in GDPR Article 15 Section 1, Section 2, Section 3, and Section 4:

I request a full copy of my processed personal data, as well as any relevant details listed in each subsection of GDPR Article 15 Section 1.

If any of my personal data is stored under an email address other than the ones currently or previously associated with my account, then I will need the preceding requests and objections to be carried out for the personal data generated under each of the following: [all email addresses I’ve used anywhere in the past 20 years].

Is there an open source alternative?

from your desktop browser since it costs 10€ instead of 12.99€

Are there any VPN shenanigans one could try to make it cheaper?

Thanks for this reply. Ive installed the site as a PWA and uninstalled the official app. Theres no way I’m either paying or giving them consent for personalised ads.

The fact is, they didn’t say they won’t collect data on you, they just won’t use it for ads

Loving the username and matrix reference :)

Im reading 1984 right now, i like it so far.