Forced app download: Difference between revisions

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Most of these{{incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}

'''Forced app download''' is a practice by businesses and government entities, where users ~~are forced to~~ download an app to their ~~phones~~ to perform ~~basic~~ tasks that ~~could~~ have otherwise been ~~done~~ on a standard web browser<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tian |first=Deyu |last2=Ma |first2=Yun |last3=Balasubramanian |first3=Aruna |last4=Liu |first4=Yunxin |last5=Gang |first5=Huang |last6=Liu |first6=Xuanzhe |date=17 Mar 2021 |title=Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 |journal=IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing |volume=21 |issue=11 |pages=3912 - 3925 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).<!-- Although this is a theme article, and therefore has more relaxed editorial guidelines, i'm going to put a 'needs more verification' notice on this page to encourage the use of more citations. Have also put some comments throughout to highlight tonal issues/any questions I have. Very solid start on the whole though!

'''Forced app download''' is a practice committed by businesses and government entities where users must download an app on their smartphones to perform simple tasks that may have otherwise been possible on a standard web browser<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tian |first=Deyu |last2=Ma |first2=Yun |last3=Balasubramanian |first3=Aruna |last4=Liu |first4=Yunxin |last5=Gang |first5=Huang |last6=Liu |first6=Xuanzhe |date=17 Mar 2021 |title=Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 |journal=IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing |volume=21 |issue=11 |pages=3912 - 3925 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).<!-- Although this is a theme article, and therefore has more relaxed editorial guidelines, i'm going to put a 'needs more verification' notice on this page to encourage the use of more citations. Have also put some comments throughout to highlight tonal issues/any questions I have. Very solid start on the whole though!

-Keith -->

~~Forced~~ app download is ~~becoming increasingly popular~~ in many countries ~~pushing~~ digitization. For example, in Singapore, it is impossible to have a bank account without using the bank's ~~app~~, ~~and~~ residents must ~~have~~ a ~~device~~ that runs an unmodified version of iOS or Android in order to download ~~government and business~~ apps from their respective ~~official~~ app stores~~. Most of these apps conduct intrusive checks on the phone's operating system and require extensive technical knowledge to run on a jail-broken or rooted device.<ref>~~{{Cite web |date=20 Oct 2023 |title=App compatibility with GrapheneOS |url=https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/8330-app-compatibility-with-grapheneos |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=grapheneos.org}}~~</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fix Play Integrity (and SafetyNet) verdicts. |url=https://github.com/chiteroman/PlayIntegrityFix |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=GitHub}}</ref>~~

Implementation of forced app download is increasing in many countries with the aim of digitization. For example, in Singapore, it is impossible for residents to have a bank account without using the bank's mobile application{{Citation needed}}. Additionally, Singapore residents must also utilize a smartphone that runs an unmodified version of iOS or Android in order to download the mandate apps from their respective app stores{{Citation needed}}.

Most companies<ref>{{Cite web |last=Naprys |first=Ernestas |date=27 Mar 2024 |title=Facebook may have exploited user devices to spy on competitors, documents show |url=https://cybernews.com/news/facebook-spying-snapchat-youtube-amazon-installing-kits/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=cybernews}}</ref> (and likely most governments)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunduke |first=Bryan |date=20 Nov 2024 |title=The Pokemon Go Spying Conspiracy Theory? Yeah. It's Verified. |url=https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-pokemon-go-spying-conspiracy |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=The Lunduke Journal of Technology}}</ref> find forcing app downloads more favorable for a multitude of reasons, such as:<!-- tone needs to be a little calmer here. Still persuasive, but calmer. - Unknown

~~Fixed it to be more neutral in tone. I believe the section below could do with some revisions though..~~. ~~- JamesTDG -->~~

Because forced app download generally means alternative measures, such as website access, are possible, entities that engage in this practice have little reason to do so outside of personal gain. They may find it favorable for several reasons, including:

#'''Identification and tracking of users''' - often accomplished through device identifiers, location information, and network connection.{{Citation needed}}

~~#'''Push of the cashless agenda''' - digital-only payments typically go hand-in-hand with app-only experiences.~~

#'''Increased digital integration''' - more integrating means more sharing data with payment processors,{{Citation needed}} ad providers,{{Citation needed}} and more.

#'''Increased digital integration''' - ~~endless possibilities of~~ integrating ~~and~~ sharing data with payment processors,{{Citation needed}} ad providers,{{Citation needed}} and more.

#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - further consolidates power and wealth into large companies such as the tech companies who own the app stores as well as payment processors like Visa and MasterCard{{Citation needed}}

#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - ~~putting more~~ power in the ~~hands of big~~ tech ~~(Apple and Google) with mandatory official~~ app ~~store downloads and big payments (~~Visa and MasterCard){{Citation needed}} ~~with forced digital payments.~~

==Characteristics==

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-{{incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}
+Most of these{{incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}
-'''Forced app download''' is a practice by businesses and government entities, where users are forced to download an app to their phones to perform basic tasks that could have otherwise been done on a standard web browser<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tian |first=Deyu |last2=Ma |first2=Yun |last3=Balasubramanian |first3=Aruna |last4=Liu |first4=Yunxin |last5=Gang |first5=Huang |last6=Liu |first6=Xuanzhe |date=17 Mar 2021 |title=Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 |journal=IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing |volume=21 |issue=11 |pages=3912 - 3925 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).<!-- Although this is a theme article, and therefore has more relaxed editorial guidelines, i'm going to put a 'needs more verification' notice on this page to encourage the use of more citations. Have also put some comments throughout to highlight tonal issues/any questions I have. Very solid start on the whole though!
+'''Forced app download''' is a practice committed by businesses and government entities where users must download an app on their smartphones to perform simple tasks that may have otherwise been possible on a standard web browser<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tian |first=Deyu |last2=Ma |first2=Yun |last3=Balasubramanian |first3=Aruna |last4=Liu |first4=Yunxin |last5=Gang |first5=Huang |last6=Liu |first6=Xuanzhe |date=17 Mar 2021 |title=Characterizing Embedded Web Browsing in Mobile Apps |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9380491 |journal=IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing |volume=21 |issue=11 |pages=3912 - 3925 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref> (e.g., adding a credit card for payments) or in real life (e.g., ordering a coffee).<!-- Although this is a theme article, and therefore has more relaxed editorial guidelines, i'm going to put a 'needs more verification' notice on this page to encourage the use of more citations. Have also put some comments throughout to highlight tonal issues/any questions I have. Very solid start on the whole though!
 -Keith -->
-Forced app download is becoming increasingly popular in many countries pushing digitization. For example, in Singapore, it is impossible to have a bank account without using the bank's app, and residents must have a device that runs an unmodified version of iOS or Android in order to download government and business apps from their respective official app stores. Most of these apps conduct intrusive checks on the phone's operating system and require extensive technical knowledge to run on a jail-broken or rooted device.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 Oct 2023 |title=App compatibility with GrapheneOS |url=https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/8330-app-compatibility-with-grapheneos |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=grapheneos.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fix Play Integrity (and SafetyNet) verdicts. |url=https://github.com/chiteroman/PlayIntegrityFix |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=GitHub}}</ref>
+Implementation of forced app download is increasing in many countries with the aim of digitization. For example, in Singapore, it is impossible for residents to have a bank account without using the bank's mobile application{{Citation needed}}. Additionally, Singapore residents must also utilize a smartphone that runs an unmodified version of iOS or Android in order to download the mandate apps from their respective app stores{{Citation needed}}.
-Most companies<ref>{{Cite web |last=Naprys |first=Ernestas |date=27 Mar 2024 |title=Facebook may have exploited user devices to spy on competitors, documents show |url=https://cybernews.com/news/facebook-spying-snapchat-youtube-amazon-installing-kits/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=cybernews}}</ref> (and likely most governments)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lunduke |first=Bryan |date=20 Nov 2024 |title=The Pokemon Go Spying Conspiracy Theory? Yeah. It's Verified. |url=https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-pokemon-go-spying-conspiracy |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=The Lunduke Journal of Technology}}</ref> find forcing app downloads more favorable for a multitude of reasons, such as:<!-- tone needs to be a little calmer here. Still persuasive, but calmer. - Unknown
-Fixed it to be more neutral in tone. I believe the section below could do with some revisions though... - JamesTDG -->
+Because forced app download generally means alternative measures, such as website access, are possible, entities that engage in this practice have little reason to do so outside of personal gain. They may find it favorable for several reasons, including:
 #'''Identification and tracking of users'''  - often accomplished through device identifiers, location information, and network connection.{{Citation needed}}
-#'''Push of the cashless agenda''' - digital-only payments typically go hand-in-hand with app-only experiences.
+#'''Increased digital integration''' - more integrating means more sharing data with payment processors,{{Citation needed}} ad providers,{{Citation needed}} and more.
-#'''Increased digital integration''' - endless possibilities of integrating and sharing data with payment processors,{{Citation needed}} ad providers,{{Citation needed}} and more.
+#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - further consolidates power and wealth into large companies such as the tech companies who own the app stores as well as payment processors like Visa and MasterCard{{Citation needed}}
-#'''Increased centralization and dependency on big companies''' - putting more power in the hands of big tech (Apple and Google) with mandatory official app store downloads and big payments (Visa and MasterCard){{Citation needed}} with forced digital payments.
 ==Characteristics<!-- Some 'citation needed' notices below are not *as* mandatory, but it improves the credibility - JamesTDG -->==