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Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

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Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#31

Post by ilikepi »

xenocratus wrote: post #22
underseacables wrote: post #3

This is so depressing. Fakespot is an amazing app, I never buy anything off of Amazon without using it. Actions like this caused me to trust Amazon significantly less.

I used it for a while until it got me wondering - what, exactly, is their business model? And why do I trust their judgement on how reliable reviews are? This is not to say that Amazon reviews are generally good, just saying that Fakespot might have an incentive to... tune their reviews of reviews :) so where's the Fakespot of Fakespot?

Well, they heavily promote their browser extension[1] (at least for me, when I hit their homepage). The addon gets access to your browser tabs and website data. Their privacy policy grants them access to serve you targeted ads based on information you share with the service, so that seems like it would be their monetization strategy.

[1]: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fakespot-fake...

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#32

Post by mynameisash »

JadeNB wrote: post #2

I'd just like to highlight this: > According to Amazon, the company already has the necessary tools to identify and stop fake reviews, suggesting that third-party services that claim to do this “are mostly wrong.” I am certainly willing to believe that Amazon has all the necessary tools, but it's very clear that they don't care to use them.

I was briefly in contact with folks in a team at Amazon who said they were working on fixing the fake review problem. I ultimately didn't pursue a role there because I just don't really trust Amazon as an employer. (I worked there previously and got burned badly.)

Incidentally, I had also been in contact with Facebook about a role "combatting abuse" across their services. That loop was a bait and switch for standard ML (eg, improve video recommendations for users to keep their eyeballs on FB).

I try to assume good intentions, but I'm constantly given evidence that there are no good intentions in these companies. I don't think Amazon really has any reason to combat fake reviews. And I know a good number of engineers and scientists there. It's a tractable problem.

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#33

Post by sprite »

lucas_codes wrote: post #4

Cool, I didn't know about this. Will download on Google Play!

Google Play has the same rule about accessing third party APIs and actually had it before Apple (I know because I’m perma banned from Google Play Development for violating this rule with an app I did)

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#34

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

eagsalazar2 wrote: post #9
minsc__and__boo wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It also raises the question, "Why can't there be substitute apps/services on the Apple App store?" So what if Amazon can or even does do it? There should be multiple apps offering the same service available to Apple customers. This doesn't make sense.

That isn't their argument. They are arguing that any results that differ from their own ratings are false by definition because it is duplicative. If fakespot always gave the identical ratings, they'd have to make a different argument.

Amazon doesn't officially acknowledge that any specific product listings are fakes. An app that exposes the truth will naturally be different from what Amazon claims.

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#35

Post by jimmaswell »

strogonoff wrote: post #28
xenocratus wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used it for a while until it got me wondering - what, exactly, is their business model? And why do I trust their judgement on how reliable reviews are? This is not to say that Amazon reviews are generally good, just saying that Fakespot might have an incentive to... tune their reviews of reviews :) so where's the Fakespot of Fakespot?

Considering FS is free and they are hiring, they must have some sort of monetization roadmap. My bet is either they become paid, they do paid whitelisting, or they provide some sort of sales intelligence to sellers. The first option is the best case scenario. In the latter cases, akin to Facebook, the actual customer would be sellers, charged based on the number of active users FS promises. ReviewMeta, on the other h…

There's always the monetization roadmap of acquisition, possibly even by Amazon to shut it down.

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#36

Post by thezilch »

saurik wrote: post #20
djxfade wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What? How does third party Reddit clients still exists on the App Store then?

"unauthorized": reddit has an official API for third-party clients.

So does Amazon's HTTP API for browser clients. Is Apple going to snuggle up with Amazon and get the Brave browser banned for nuking their ads, trackers, etc?

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#37

Post by nofunsir »

underseacables wrote: post #3

This is so depressing. Fakespot is an amazing app, I never buy anything off of Amazon without using it. Actions like this caused me to trust Amazon significantly less.

I used to use Best Buy to try items out before buying on Amazon.

Now, I shop on Amazon, using most helpful critical reviews only, and buy either local, or direct from manufacturers.

Most times shipping is comparable to Amazon’s “not really two day two day shipping”

Also, Streisand effect in play here for sure. Now I know about FakeSpot. Thanks!

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#38

Post by paxys »

djxfade wrote: post #17
d3nj4l wrote: post #15

The third-party API rule is the most baffling in all of Apple’s App Store regulations. It’s ridiculous that you can’t make and monetise alternative clients to popular services, as if the first party client is always going to be the best.

What? How does third party Reddit clients still exists on the App Store then?

Because Reddit hasn't asked Apple to remove them (or revoked API access themselves)

Re: Apple removes ‘Fakespot’ app from iOS App Store following Amazon request

#40

Post by deregulateMed »

sprite wrote: post #33
lucas_codes wrote: post #4

Cool, I didn't know about this. Will download on Google Play!

Google Play has the same rule about accessing third party APIs and actually had it before Apple (I know because I’m perma banned from Google Play Development for violating this rule with an app I did)

Doesn't matter, you can still download APKs.
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