zlacker

[return to "Google’s nightmare “Web Integrity API” wants a DRM gatekeeper for the web"]
1. mabbo+Wd[view] [source] 2023-07-24 22:14:55
>>jakobd+(OP)
> Exactly how the rest of the world feels about this is not necessarily relevant, though. Google owns the world's most popular web browser, the world's largest advertising network, the world's biggest search engine, the world's most popular operating system, and some of the world's most popular websites. So really, Google can do whatever it wants.

This is the point that company breakups start to make a lot of sense.

When Google can do something that every one of it's users hates and none of us can do anything about it, they perhaps have too much market power.

◧◩
2. kelnos+Ji[view] [source] 2023-07-24 22:43:27
>>mabbo+Wd
> When Google can do something that every one of it's users hates

I don't think this is remotely the case. Quite a few tech-savvy people I know (some of them software developers) use Chrome and mostly don't care about whatever Google does with it. I mention "manifest v3" and get a blank stare. I talk about advertising and ad blockers, and most people don't care, with some of them not even using ad blockers.

We really live in a bubble, here on HN. Most people think of privacy as some abstract thing that they have little control over, and are mostly fine with that. And some are even also fine with government erosion of privacy, in the name of "save the children" style arguments, and of corporate erosion of privacy, in the name of getting free stuff in exchange for their personal information.

It's a sad state of affairs. If most people really did care strongly about these sorts of issues, then I think it would be baffling why we haven't seen more change here -- after all, Firefox is a perfectly viable alternative to Chrome that very few people use. But the lack of change is no surprise: most people don't care.

◧◩◪
3. alex77+NB[view] [source] 2023-07-25 01:05:07
>>kelnos+Ji
> after all, Firefox is a perfectly viable alternative to Chrome that very few people use

I don't use Firefox because it's slower than Chrome and because their behavior regarding limiting which extensions are available in phones, requiring signed extensions, Firefox Pocket, ads in new tab page, etc, does not exactly give me confidence that Mozilla truly has my interests in mind. In fact I bet they'll implement the nightmare DRM API once it's done swiftly and without complaint lest their money flow suffer.

If Mozilla ever decides to stop screwing around, clearly position themselves as an ally of the consumer, clearly express support for adblockers and put resources into making the browser faster and better and more customizable instead of whatever makes their CEO richer then I'll switch to Firefox even if it is a bit slower or has some flaws.

In the meantime uBlock works right now in Chrome which makes it usable, so since Chrome is the fastest right now, Chrome it is.

◧◩◪◨
4. fabric+SE[view] [source] 2023-07-25 01:26:14
>>alex77+NB
Mozilla just took position against this DRM API: https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/852#is...

Also, Firefox just passed ahead of Chrome on some JS speed benchmark, so you should get ready to switch back!

◧◩◪◨⬒
5. alex77+lL[view] [source] 2023-07-25 02:16:47
>>fabric+SE
That's nice to know, I'll give it a try soon then!
◧◩◪◨⬒⬓
6. Tingli+xm1[view] [source] 2023-07-25 08:02:40
>>alex77+lL
It's for nightly currently (+2 from prod version), but I'm using dev on my work computer and base prod on my private one, and it's _fast_.

Just setup ublock origin to filter annoyances as well, and it actually quite quickens the browsing experience.

PS Chrome is faster because it cheats and takes shortcuts in loading CSS. Check it out, it skips some frames when loading, to show the page faster.

[go to top]