While it is no secret that exploitative practices are interlaced with capitalistic tendencies, the practices are becoming intolerable. Signing up to pay usually takes only two clicks that are prominently visible whereas cancelation options are hidden away in deep settings requiring multiple clicks. Pricing often feel arbitrary with no reference points. Every large company grows with the intention of exhibiting monopolistic behavior. This is not sustainable and should not be tolerated.
Has anyone here noticed how it’s almost impossible to watch a TikTok on mobile if you don’t have an account or the app? My friend sends me links and I click it but the website opens playing it muted and it only plays the TikTok one time, no repeating. Then it prompts me to install the app. If I say I don’t want to the unmute button disappears and I’m unable to play the TikTok again with sound. The only way to do it is to refresh which just prompts me to download the app again after being played the TikTok one time with no sound. Aggravating as all hell.
Most of my friends know better than to send me TikTok links. But for the few who still do, I use this open source frontend called ProxiTok.
To get TikTok links to redirect automatically on click, use the LibRedirect extension.
How long until that sort of thing goes the way of Bibliogram/Barinsta?
Only time will tell.
I know this one also went down recently for Instagram: proxigram.privacyfrontends.repl.co
But I’m not sure if it was an Instagram change that did it, or Replit took it down or what.
This all seems a little advanced for me. Is there a way to do this on phones?
Don’t worry, it’s not complicated at all. A little inconvenient maybe, but that’s always the trade-off when it comes to privacy and security.
Here are the two most convenient ways that I can think of on each OS.
iOS: Bookmark the frontend URL. When you get sent a link, pop open the page and paste the TikTok URL.
Android: Get Firefox and set it as your default browser. Install the LibRedirect add-on (browser extension). Whenever you get sent a URL, just tap it and it’ll automatically get redirected to the privacy-friendly frontend.
Not if you just ignore the link
I hate tik tok but I also have actual friends and I am not gonna be a dick to them about what link they sent me
I’ve been searching for a solution to this exact problem. My partner sends links occasionally and I always ignore because of how the web interface is blatantly hostile. Tried routing the links through MPV on android but no dice.
If anyone has a solution please share.
See my comment above