Chrome Not Proceeding With Web Integrity API Deemed By Many To Be DRM (9to5google.com) 24
An anonymous reader shares a report: Back in July, Google's work on a Web Integrity API emerged and many equated it to DRM. While prototyped, it was only at the proposal stage and the company announced today it's not going ahead with it. With this proposal, Google wanted to give websites a way to confirm the authenticity of the user and their device/browser.
The Web Integrity API would let websites "request a token that attests key facts about the environment their client code is running in." It's not all too different from the Play Integrity API (SafetyNet) on Android that Google Wallet and other banking apps use to make sure a device hasn't been tampered with (rooted).
The Web Integrity API would let websites "request a token that attests key facts about the environment their client code is running in." It's not all too different from the Play Integrity API (SafetyNet) on Android that Google Wallet and other banking apps use to make sure a device hasn't been tampered with (rooted).
Good (Score:3)
What legitimate reason could there be for preventing a person from using a device they have full control over? It's allowed on desktop operating systems all the time.
Re:Good (Score:4, Informative)
What modern computing device do you have full control over? Got keys to access IME et al? Direct access to UEFI/BIOS rather than just shitty GUI that hides most of the available features, including potential backdoors like Asus Armory Crate?
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
I want to see you two kiss
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Easy there Stallman
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There are plenty of reasons.
They're just not for the benefit of the user.
Important caveat (Score:5, Insightful)
"For now".
Because the issue is very much wanted by google, as it allows them to lock down their dominant market position in field of online advertising. This put google in jeopardy of anti-trust people, and they already have several problems with them that are ongoing, so advancing this now would cause more problems on that front.
They'll likely do the sensible thing. Wait for that moment to pass and try again.
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I see you have no idea what this feature is. Hint: It has nothing to do with ads, and couldn't even be used for most ads as it only works for the site being requested, not 3rd party delivered content.
The idea was to make it possible for banking websites and the like to have the same security verifications as banking apps on Android and iOS. The apps can ask the OS to confirm that they are running in a secure environment, in return for easier access e.g. biometric log in. It would have been nice to have that
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Slashdot's genocidal communist hard at work obfuscating reality as usual. Remember folks, privacy and ability to track everyone online at the back end has nothing to do with google's ad business. Google's ad business obviously makes no money by identifying people across the internet, and figuring out exactly what they are like so they can serve targeted advertising to them. No sir, it's nothing like that!
For those confused as to why far left sociopaths have been having a huge hard on for google implementing
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So explain to us exactly how this feature would have enabled Google to invade your privacy and track everyone online.
You could use the similar feature in Android as an example of how it is already in operation.
They're absolutely going to put this in. (Score:4, Insightful)
Without a moment of hesitation. They're absolutely going to be implementing this in Chrome. Services are absolutely going to deny you access without this. Anyone who thinks that this is the end of WEI, just remember FLoC and how it became Topics. [slashdot.org]
I would dare say that Google is now so deep into their position, they have an existential requirement to see that whatever they eventually call WEI gets in the hands of pretty much everyone.
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Yeah, sure. Please tell my 2 government agencies I'm forced to work with that there are other browsers except Chrom*/Edge.
While you're doing this, notify most utility companies and banks that enabling strict security rules in Firefox combined with the use of pihole and ublock should not prevent me from using their crappy sites.
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Without a moment of hesitation. They're absolutely going to be implementing this in Chrome. Services are absolutely going to deny you access without this. Anyone who thinks that this is the end of WEI, just remember FLoC and how it became Topics. [slashdot.org]
I would dare say that Google is now so deep into their position, they have an existential requirement to see that whatever they eventually call WEI gets in the hands of pretty much everyone.
They're publicly saying they won't to avoid having a microscope shoved up their backside by the government because the current officials are all in an uproar about privacy. Wait for another bomb scare or two to come along so the public will comply with ANYTHING in the name of supposed security and this will be ram-rodded through so fast it'll be patently obvious that they never stopped working on it.
I wonder if it wouldn't exclude some OSs (Score:3)
I wonder if it wouldn't exclude some less popular OSs. I can't install my preferred Linux distro alongside Windows 11 because it would require secure boot activated. Moreover, I can't install some distros in an arm-powered device if it comes with Windows pre-installed. And once I install a different OS on a computer, wouldn't it be considered "tampering", especially if I needed to disable secure boot? And by the way, what's the point of using Linux, BSD, etc. if not for modifying the system according to your needs? Did I say something stupid?
windows lock in will kill the server market (Score:2)
windows lock in will kill the server market
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How so? Do you use a gui browser on your servers?
forcing windows with an MS account has EU do not t (Score:2)
forcing windows with an MS account has EU do not track issues
Clarification on tampering (Score:1)
Tampering means unwanted third party intrusion and alterations. Rooting is something explicitly desired by the user.
Re: (Score:2)
Rooting your phone means you can disable most tracking services, installing a firewall or, god forbidd!, an adblocker.
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like heroin use (Score:1)