this post was submitted on 03 Nov 2023
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cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/5707453

The Chrome team says they're not going to pursue Web Integrity but...

it is piloting a new Android WebView Media Integrity API that’s “narrowly scoped, and only targets WebViews embedded in apps.”

They say its because the team "heard your feedback." I'm sure that's true, and I can wildly speculate that all the current anti-trust attention was a factor too.

Many said we couldn’t stop it. We, like many, applied pressure, and they backed the fuck off.

We have no room for complacency now though. Google cannot be allowed to dictate web standards. Firefox needs to eat into that Chromium market share.

Never forgive. Never forget.

all 32 comments
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[–] [email protected] 69 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Today “only WebViews embedded in apps”

Tomorrow “YouTube requires an app”

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Bye YouTube! It's been real, and it's been fun, but it hasn't been real fun.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

App? How about a subscription

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

No need for crazy client side DRM if there a subscription. This is about locking down ad blockers.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They'll just rebrand it, like FLoC became Topics API.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago (1 children)

And will quietly release it when the backlash has diminished.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 9 months ago

"We heard your feedback. We don't want to hear your feedback."

[–] [email protected] 37 points 9 months ago

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

Nope, I do not believe one single word. They will just wait and try again BS wording it differently.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

Since Android Webview is Chromium, this reads to me like it's making it into Chrome anyway.
It's behind some restrictions, but now that it's deployed Google can

  1. test it in live environments, making sure everything works
  2. more easily enable it for Chrome proper with fewer to no restrictions
    They'll probably do this in the future using a staged rollout similar to what they did for Youtube and adblockers.

The fact that it's making it into production means the only concession Google made was admitting that they know that some of us vocally oppose it.
I'd continue encouraging friends and family to use Firefox.

[–] dukethorion 5 points 9 months ago

They'll simply call it Android 15. Market it as a major security standard to make Apple look less safe.

[–] dukethorion 2 points 9 months ago

Using FF doesnt solve the Webview issue.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 9 months ago

Hmmm. I really hope it's not a bait and switch. I lost all trust.

[–] emax_gomax 18 points 9 months ago

Said the same shit about limiting ad blockers. Don't trust em.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago

Chrome is feeling its numbers drop, so they're backing off until people stop paying attention. Then they'll go right ahead with the plan.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 9 months ago

Good. Still not switching back from Firefox, though.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago

... for now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Looks good to me. It’s short hand for a code approval.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago

It seems to me that as more people are fighting or ditching them, google are having to be more and more desperate and controlling to maintain their position. Which in turn leads to yet more people getting fed up with them. I'm not sure they have anywhere else to go tbh. Alternatives to all of their 'services' are constantly becoming more viable and more visible, whilst they are becoming shitter and more hated.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago

What happened to manifest 3 that was going to limit adblocking? This seems like a temporary setback that they'll introduce all at once in a few months.

[–] eager_eagle -4 points 9 months ago (4 children)

wow, they are not completely beyond redemption, it seems

[–] elliot_crane 32 points 9 months ago (1 children)

They moved too quickly and the backlash was too intense. They will 100% try to push this shit again as soon as they think the market/userbase might bear it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 9 months ago

100% they will try again, they’ll just be a bit more quiet about, maybe do it once integrity feature at a time.

[–] jwagner7813 17 points 9 months ago

They have a shit ton of work to do. This does not redeem them at all...

This feels a lot like astroturfing/pandering/propaganda. I've seen this article posted a ton in the last 24 hours...

[–] takeda 15 points 9 months ago (2 children)

They moved too fast, and got negative response and backed off on panic. They will rebrand, and try this again but slower. If you care about freedom, start using Firefox or another gecko based browser.

They got cocky, because chrome currently dominates browser market share.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 9 months ago

Companies do this on purpose now. Piss people off, slightly roll things back. People will be less angry when they do the exact same thing again.

I don't believe for one second they didn't plan on rolling this back before announcing it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

And because their main competitor depends on them financially.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Redemption implies there was a character to redeem.

It's a business, and it's business is intricately locked into goals that match what Web Integrity API stood for. It may be gone now but everyone needs to watch twice as hard. They'll just try to ease people into the idea more carefully.

[–] eager_eagle 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

people make decisions, not businesses

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

The number of people involved in the decisions of companies: many of which do not have any actual reason to care about the livelihood, reputation, or ethics of said company...should make it fairly clear that you cannot assume or perceive a company in the same way you do a person.

Most of that's just lobbying PR anyway to give companies more leverage against...well...people