Nontrusive Software

by Charles Wu, October 29, 2022, version 1.0

Nontrusive Software is software that focuses on non-intrusive value exchange, without relying on advertising and surveilance to realize the value for both the customer and the publisher. It is software that explicitly opts out of the surveillance monetization model that dominates our current economy.

The World We Live In Today

Today we live in a world where our every action is being tracked, measured and sold. This reality is a result of the ad supported business model that dominates the modern internet. Ad supported business models have been around for a long time, ever since the advent of modern media, from free newspapers and traditional broadcast television and radio. This model perpetuated itself with the early internet in the form of banner ads. However, the exponential increase in computing power and storage resulted in a more powerful form of ad supported adversiting. It was now possible to more effectively sort internet visitors and categorize them to better target them with more relevant ads. The choice of the word target is intersting given that it usually refers to being the endpoint of an arrow or gun. In addition to sorting of visitors on high level categories, the proliferation of collection of personal information enabled the creation of detailed dossiers of individuals. These collections of dossier could be combined with web visit data and sales data to really understand who buys what. It's a cycle then that would repeat itself resulting in more data and more precision in advertising. The vast amounts of data begged to be analyzed and modern computational forces made it possible. These concepts are not new, but the ubiquitous computing power of the last 20 years was transformative. In computer science there is a phrase "a change in quantity leads to a change in quality" and that is what happened with the vast data that has been collected and computing power to analyze it.

The benefit of this was that the internet and mobile internet are "free" without direct monetary payment. However while free of direct payment, there is a cost in the form of attention and privacy. The same amounts of computation enabled the non-stop advertising that we are exposed to. The amount of mental energy required to ignore that advertising has grown. We now spend our time dealing with click throughs, pop ups and excessive messaging. We also now live with trackers that we did not consent to. The reason this is so ubiquitous is that the model works and exist in absence of a competitive alternative.

So this is where we are today.

What is Nontrusive Software

Nontrusive software and services are those products that have chosen to actively not participate in the data collection economy by installing any data and activity collecting modules beyond what is provided by the base platforms or is required for the functioning of the application. This includes ad trackers and analytics software. The reasons why this class of software is needed as follows. The first is software is increasingly being utilized in private parts of life such as health and medicine. THe other primary reason is children, children are increasingly using software and they are a particular vulnerable group. The absence of data collected, reduces the temptation to use that data.

In the absence of these trackers and the ad driven revenue stream, these applications are operating at a financial disadvantage. It is hoped that these applications provide a free to try mode, but if sufficient value is found that people will become customers by purchasing the upgrade. That act of purchase makes one a customer.

The "Nontrusive Pledge"

The "Nontrusive Pledge" is stated on applications that have chosen to adhere to the ideals stated. It simply states that a software product does not possess any third party tracking software or collect any user data beyond that collected by the platform (in most cases Apple or Google). This includes any analytics that indicate how the software is being used. Even if the intent is good, the risk of "data leakage" exists. So "Nontrusive" software doesn't use it. Software should be non-intrusive to your life and especially to your family.

To participate in this pledge means that support for a product has to happen the old fashion way. Customers have to buy it. Nontrusive apps explicitly understand that they are in effect operating with one hand tied behind their back. Tracking based advertising is so prevalent because it is in many ways is the only way to make a living. "Free" models work.

Challenges to those taking the "Nontrusive Pledge"

Software vendors who choose to undertake the Nontrusive Pledge for their application will face certain challenges which are listed to help customers understand what may be lost.

1. Lack of activity analytics. Usage telemetry in applications have improved products vastly by helping creators understand how and what parts of an application are used. It helps creators understand what is confusing our could be better. However to accomplish this, data has to be collected. In the absence of this automated usage data, customers will need to actively communicate issues and desires to the publisher of the software. So customers will have to be patient.
2. Demographic data. The ability to understand who is using a product is critical to tuning an application. The loss of understanding your customers will make it more challening to create better products.

Benefits to Publishers who take the "Nontrusive Pledge"

While there is a loss of capabiltiies in data collection. Some benefits for publishers are the following.

1. Applications will work faster. Apps that are not continually communicating with third party services will be faster. User experience will improve.
2. Data responsibiity. Publishers who collect data have a responsibility to be good stewards of customer data. By having less data, publishers are less attractive targets to the ubiquitous data breaches that are in the news. This lack of data will make publishers lives easier.
3. Lack of temptation. Most publishers try to be good stewards of their customers data and use it in responsible ways. However, when things get difficult it is hard not to give into temptation.

In Conclusion

Nontrusive hopes that you will think about the value things give you in your life and decide accordingly. Would you pay for your morning muffin by letting yourself be subject to ads or tell the muffin shop everywhere you have been instead of the $3?

A good way to judge the value of an app is compare it to the time of joy you get from it. If you pay $20 for a movie that gives your 2 hours of enjoyment, think of how much you get from the App or other transactions you make.

To find out more about the "Nontrusive Pledge" visit www.nontrusive.com

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