Saw this today and now I’m reconsidering if Boost is right for me. I’m really hoping this is shitty boiler plate that was accidentally copied and over looked because that is some bullshit to say “unless we decide we want to use your personal data for whatever we want”.

I know “legitimate interest” is a phrase from the cookies law but there is no legitimate interest justification for this. My data is my data and I decide who has a legitimate interest in it so advertisers can fuck off, as can Boost if this the direction it’s going.


Edit to say this blew up. I didn’t realise I was kicking as big a hornet’s nest and haven’t read all the comments yet.

To be clear, what I don’t like about this and other provisions in the terms is the language and implications around data use. I’ve no problem with ads being shown - I want developers to get paid for the work they do and that makes it possible for users to have “free” access to software if they can’t afford to purchase.

I also want to add the response from Boost’s dev below to make sure it’s visible. You’ll see that it is boilerplate but required by Google and was present in Boost for reddit. I just hadn’t seen it because I purchased it immediately based on a recommendation. It doesn’t make me happy about it but does remove some doubts I was having about the direction Boost is heading.

I will be purchasing the app to support the dev because I do like Boost but I understand not everyone can afford everything so you’ll see some other suggestions in the comments below that don’t have any ads if you’re not happy with the free version and ads with their associated loss of data privacy.


Dev here.

The dialog and its content is not created by me, it is a standard solution from Google to comply with GDPR and other laws. More info here: https://support.google.com/admob/answer/10114014?hl=en

The consent dialog is also required by Google AdMob to show ads, and it is shown when the ad network is initialized.

When the app launches, first it checks for the remove ads purchase, and if it is not present, it will initialize the ads sdk. The ad network is not initialized if the remove ads purchase is detected.

Boost for Reddit was using the very same ad networks and consent dialog.

    • Polar@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      I guess if you enjoy a small group of people jerking themselves off and arguing over which distro is best, sure.

      • Antik 👾@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        That guy got banned from the community for gatekeeping. If he keeps it up it’s a site-wide permaban.

        • Polar@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Find lemmy?

          Any positive comments about any non-FOSS app is downvoted. Any mention of Windows is downvoted. Any thread trying to discuss news not related to Linux is downvoted.

          Like the one where Microsoft announces Paint is gettting layers and transparency, and the entire thread is filled with Linux nerds downvoting anyone saying they’re excited.

          Or the one someone mentioned above where someone was asking help with MS Office, and every comment was ignoring the request, telling the guy to download Libre Office, which isn’t helpful…

          EDIT: here’s an example. Clicked the first link. Didn’t even have to look far. https://lemmy.ca/post/6051300

          EDIT 2: are we going to ignore the hate the Sync and Boost dev get, because they aren’t FOSS and they charge a one-time-fee to remove ads? Despite the fact their apps are extremely polished, and so extremely far ahead any of the FOSS apps? Even though the FOSS heads can just… use the FOSS apps? Why hate alternatives that attract more people to Lemmy?

          • DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.de
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            4
            ·
            1 year ago

            To me, resisting the encroachment of corporate interests is far, far more important than having more users, particularly if those new users are the ones that don’t care about corporate encroachment.

            • Polar@lemmy.ca
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              4
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              Ok. That’s awesome. I am really happy for you that you’re able to use Linux, and that you have different values.

              Doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable to bully others into following you. If they want to use Windows, I mean shit, if they want to use an outdated, dangerous version of Windows XP, let them?

              Downvoting others for being excited about a Windows feature, or refusing to answer a question and instead interjecting with your unsolicited opinion isn’t helpful. You’re not contributing to the conversation, and you’re making Lemmy a miserable place.

            • howrar@lemmy.ca
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              9 months ago

              If that were your goal, wouldn’t it be better to get more people into Lemmy? Make the free alternatives a better experience so they stay and bring their friends over. If the average user encounters gatekeeping, they’ll be more likely to just go back to Reddit or Facebook or whatever and get the help they need there, and you’ll have given those corporations a bit more power.

      • bastion@feddit.nl
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        I mean, to be fair, if you don’t like it, you can fork the code and make your own network.

        • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          That’s not the point though. They’re talking about usage population.

          A virtual ‘Public Square’, where everyone is discussing ideas that you can listen in on and contribute to, doesn’t work very well if there’s no one in the public square.

            • howrar@lemmy.ca
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              9 months ago

              We may not need more users in terms of raw numbers, but it sure would be nice to have more diversity.

        • Polar@lemmy.ca
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Easier to just downvote the annoying ass FOSS nerds.