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
My response to this is that I refuse to use apps like that. For example, the only app I have on my phone is a OSM+ (maps). (As well as core basics: clock, contacts, camera, phone app, etc.).
I’ve never once scanned a QR code, I don’t have any phone apps that require an account for anything whatsoever.
…
And I can say that as time goes on, I feel more and more like I’m in the minority. I’m seeing restaurants where you are meant to order with a phone; and I’m seeing people paying for stuff with their phone; and during covid contract-tracing times, there were a lot of different things that assumed the use of a phone… I just hope that there are enough people in the world with values similar to mine such my life doesn’t get harder due to phone apps being required for more and more things.
The argument I keep seeing against fast food being too expensive is “use the app! It’s cheaper”. Fuck that. I bought frozen junk food and an air fryer. McDonald’s can keep their 15$ meals*
*Disclaimer that I don’t actually know how much a meal is these days, but I know it’s gone way up. Also, I do still buy from McD when I need to shit out a hangover. Sue me.
I’m old enough to remember when you could get a McD’s meal for £6. These days, on the rare occasions I go there for me and my wife, I’m looking at around £25. It’s shocking how much more expensive it is.