Forced App Usage for Web Functions
Earlier today, I saw @cdixon’s tweet:
Increasingly, links on Facebook require you install an app to read an article, watch a video etc.
It reminded me of a rant I wrote in my Facebook six month’s ago regarding why I don’t want to use the Washington Post Social Reader app:
It’s partly psychological. It’s human nature: forced to do something, you rebel. Given the choice to do the same thing, you welcome it. Sharing is a strong, expressive action. It signifies recommendation, support, and intent. It’s personal.
The Social Reader does nothing that changes my behavior (I’ll read articles anywhere) but it’s slyly taking my social graph/network for their own desire (get more exposure or clicks to their page) without true consent from me. That’s taking advantage of me. I don’t like that.
So the cost (abusing my social graph) is far too high for me to want to read an article from them. ‘I’ll find other means.’
I still feel this way.
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