I'm gradually deleting apps where updates are trying to force the acceptance of ads especially but also in-app purchases

Apps for smartphones have got infected by the same things sites like Youtube, etc. have.

a two-tiered user model (free with ads and supposedly paid without them), and/or just blatant integration of advertising using third party click-through ad services to destroy the user experience.

I've deleted Tumblr from all bar one device where I still have an ad-free version of the app that works on my 8 y/o Android phone and I decline all updates. I got rid of Pinterest because it is basically nothing but ads now. FB has been ruined by ads for years now.

Youtube is gone (disabled - can't delete it) on my mobile devices because it forces updates and they include third-party ads.

Other app suites (such as the Simple Mobile Tools) suite have been sold to different owners and get changed to force the use of paid services or the apps only have limited (or no) usability.

This is basically all 'enshitification' and is made worse by the infiltration of AI into the mix.

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

I use a forum dedicated to one of my interests.

It always had advertisements across the top and down one side of the screen, but they were all relevant, were not intrusive and did fund the site.

At least, not intrusive on a PC with 19" monitor - I have no idea what it would be like on the far smaller screen of a tablet or "smart"-'phone.

Then the host site changed hands, and now Google enforces all sorts of totally irrelevant ads including Asian dating sites that are obviously fraudulent. You can not remove them. That at the top takes up precious screen depth. That across the bottom intrudes on the main window. If you use an ad blocking service it will of course also block the ads that are relevant and fund the forum.

The most you can do is temporarily switch off the specific ad, but the greedy, shallow owners of Google know most users will do that. So the little symbol in the corner opens a rather convoluted tool that asks why you want the ad off, thanks you for "feedback" that will help them improve your "experience" - and makes the ad re-appear quite quickly.

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