Google Chrome's Web Environment Integrity feature has been cancelled
Google Chrome's Web Environment Integrity feature has been cancelled
Back in July, Google's work on a Web Integrity API emerged and many equated it to DRM. The company announced today it's not proceeding...
While WEI is thankfully cancelled, it's not entirely cancelled... They're planning on making it available still in WebViews with the intention that websites can check if a malicious Android app is trying to do a phishing scheme.
Seems like such a niche "security" feature... what are they really trying to accomplish here? Something seems fishy to me
this is not cancellation. This is Google taking a step back, and regroup to attack back.
Its a common practice to do exactly that. Just demand something very absurd and let people rage about it, then "step back" to "please the masses" while in reality your "step back" idea is the thing you actually wanted to do from the beginning on. But now people are happy about it.
I learned that as a negotiation tactic. Pick the number you want to get, then ask for more. The counter will likely be around what you wanted!
They care about one thing only: Money.
Obviously this is more of a strategic retreat and nothing else. It's also a very common tactic to push for something crass, pull back, wait a bit and repeat. Most commonly resistance gets weaker each time, because people are people.
Now if anyone thinks they made money with a retreat and won't try again, because it's obviously much more lucrative, which stone exactly are you living under?
You are 100% correct. Nothing is won till you make it impossible for Google to push forward or destroy their motivation for trying again later.
Ah yes, the old Unity Trick™.
If they can't storm the front door, then try to sneak in through the back door I guess.
If they can't storm the front door, then try to sneak in through the back door I guess.
Ha, I didn't know there's a name for that, but it's definitely what I assume they're going to do. My initial reaction was to wonder what they'll now present as the "reasonable" option to WEI.
Considering they're rolling it out in Android, maybe they'll just wait a moment and then integrate it into desktop Chrome as well, just without any of the fanfare?
It's a good thing that people are calling out their deception.
I would never agree with what Google proposes, though
You may not, but you'd be surprised with how many people didn't even care about WEI, let alone whatever the reasonable option will be
They grew thanks to the open internet where everyone let them scrape their website’s content. They can’t let anyone do that again.
Sure it isn't. * Wink wink nudge nudge*
It'll be back. With a different name and modified messaging.
That probably would've been true even if they did follow through.
@macleod @dean @rysiek they already started, they want to put it in android now: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2023/11/increasing-trust-for-embedded-media.html?m=1
They want to put it on the default webview in android, which doesn't seem like a huge deal to me. It would basically let apps that use webview for things like logging in beef up their security.
It's not like the entire concept of this API was bad, it's just that with Google's proposed implementation companies would abuse the fuck out of it to do bad things. Not having it in browsers pretty much eliminates that while still letting things like banking apps enjoy some of the benefits.
@dean When they removed “Do no evil” from their company motto, it flipped the sense and then etched the opposite into marble. Google doesn’t suddenly stop being a bog monster just because someone put a daisy on it. Companies have no soul, they have no conscience, and they have no memory. They are profit seeking tentacle monsters and not seeing that is something that customers and the public have to do for themselves. Regulation strangulation, for the win.
We did it!
Specifically, everyone who's not using Chrome and its derivates did it. Use Firefox, people.
That's what Google want you to believe, forget about and step back. It's not over yet. We just stopped the first wave and it will get harder with each wave.
Permanently Deleted
If you are aware of this issue, it is your obligation to tell all of your friends, family, associates and coworkers to stop using Chrome immediately, and try out a new search engine.
It's the least you can do.
This behaviour by Google is not going to stop. The mask has slipped too many times. They have become the very thing they swore to destroy.
Not many people will be ready to de Google their phones and stop buying their products. It's the little things that will hurt them the most and show they've stepped over a line this last year or so.
That's what Google want you to believe. It's not over yet. We just stopped the first wave.
@dean @lisamelton One of the reasons I don’t use Chrome. Here, they’ve revealed what they are working towards. They’ll try again.
@kevinbhayes @dean You are correct. They will try again. 💯
People here really can't just accept a win
I'm convinced people on Lemmy just want to be miserable all the time.
We have won the battle, but the war is not over. If one is tired, he or she could employ escapism. But don't blame or poke those, who don't do that.
the concept is good in theory; the reasoning was not.
Give Sundar a raise ? Finally he made a good decision.