Posted on 01/09/2021 1:33:42 PM PST by rktman
Back when Parler was first taking off, I warned that its app-based dependency meant that two companies, Apple and Google, can eliminate it anytime they like.
It was only a matter of time.
The transition from desktops and laptops to Android and IOS devices mean that users are operating in a walled garden run by two very lefty companies. Those companies can do with the garden what they please. Those users who choose to jailbreak their devices have more options, but most don't. Conservatives can try to distribute the knowledge more widely and encourage that kind of self-empowerment. But the bottom line is most smartphone, Kindle, Chromebook, etc users want a simple device that just works and runs all the apps in the app store. Doing anything more complicated would be inconvenient.
People also tend to get their smartphones from one of the handful of remaining providers, e.g. the big three, AT&T, Verizon ,and T-Mobile. You may think you're not using one of those companies, but even then you're probably using one of their branded providers or a small company that's using their services.
That means 5 companies essentially control the mobile ecosystem and can shut down an app like Parler anytime they please. They can also, if they please, shut down access to any site accessed through their browsers. They can also ban any browser from their app store or device that doesn't shut down access to these sites.
There are potential workarounds, but they all involve escalating levels of difficulty.
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
You can always access these sites via a browser.
Apps aren’t necessary.
But here’s a cool idea for an app...
Make a generic app that will serve as a notification proxy for an arbitrary web site. Thereafter the web-based notifications are displayed normally on the smart phone.
Easy peasy....
But I can web browse to Parler (even using Google) and download the app from there on my Samsung Android phone...
MeWe is not bad. I’m there with a private 2nd amendment related podcast group.
Or I can use Samsung’s browser. If Google, Verizon, etc. banned that, I don’t think Samsung would very happy about it...
That’s a good Idea.
An App of Apps.
Very generic.
Once loaded, It can give you access to whatever you want, even if it’s banned from Apple and Google’s Play store.
For example, an iPhone can download apps that companies develop for themselves, that are not in the App Store. To do that, the companies have to sign a license agreement with Apple, which stipulates that iPhones that are owned by the company can only download apps via this method.
Expect savvy hacker types to setup servers that will any iPhone to download "forbidden/blocked apps.
.
Expect CONTRIVED server failures and such from the internet/companies that Parler needs to use until it gets ALL its own infrastructure.
Phone company internet backbone - all can be sabotaged unfortunately.
The quashing by leftists of this Free Speech may be a Casus Belli all in itself.
.
Just looked at both parler.com and mewe.com and BOOM! No ‘gaggle’ apps required. Using Brave.com. Soon to uninstall mozilla/firefux. from the pc. Already gone from the phone.
I just saw an app for iPhones that will fake out the iOS checker and allow older iPhone 6’s and below to download/install iOS 13+14. They always find a way.
Seems like a truly open source browser wouldn't have that limitation.
That’s what VPN’s are used for, to keep snoopy local internet providers from playing games, such as blocking DNS lookups for Parler.com, etc.
Yep, and the benefit is it's actually faster than the app and equally as functional. (I just checked.)
But Android has always had an “Install unknown apps” switch to allow installing in just any apk. No such feature on iOS.
Well Amazon can as well. They apparently use AWS cloud*.
*(In theory they could switch cloud providers if Amazon dumps them, but its not easy and takes major rewrite of infrastructure code and might take rewrite of backend application code as well).
ping
This is true anti-competition behavior. This is more like when Microsoft was sued by Netscape for not letting their browser on Windows computers (or throttling their performance relative to Internet Explorer). The court ruled that Microsoft must decouple their browser from the OS and allow other browsers to run on their hardware.
In this case, Google is blocking Parler for fear of competition. It can't be because of what people on Parler post, because that would be like a printer blocking the Washington Times but not the Washington Post; the printer produces neither's content and should have no say on the content itself. Therefore, Google should should deliver both the Twitter and Parler apps without having opinions on what the users on one say versus the other.
This might be crossing the Rubicon for Google.
-PJ
The problem with Parler is that it is clunky and hard to use. It’s like something from the dawn of the internet.
Gab is more like FB, that is, much more intuitive and visual. But you do have to be careful because some crazies post there. I just block them, and I think whoever runs Gab is trying to get a grip on it. On the other hand, it has a ton of really good and even non-political posters, such as the folks who post beautiful “good morning” photos. So it can build a community, which is what we have here on FR, arguments and all.
FR is unusual, because it serves as a bulletin board, a news aggregator, and also a form of personal communication. Think I gotta send a few more bucks to FR today!
I’m just commenting on the differences. I was puzzled about the differences between them until trying them out. So this is my experience.
Can you make that app? There’s definitely a market for it:0)
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