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Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

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Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#291

Post by astrea »

OkayPhysicist wrote: post #247
nova22033 wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I don't get is why Google is allowed to provide a browser and be a major content provider at the same time. For the same reason you are allowed to make this comment or I am allowed to reply. There is no explicit law prohibiting them from providing a free browser while also being dominant in the content space.

There is a fair argument to be made that Google's vertical integration of internet advertising could be running afoul of antitrust laws, if those were still being enforced in the US.

Well whenever the governments of the world get their heads out of their collective asses and learn what a computer even is, then we can have competent legislation.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#293

Post by gertrunde »

Hendrikto wrote: post #8

> The reasons for this are ridiculous and probably only pretended because ClearURLs damages Google's business model. […] > Among other things, it was claimed that the description of the addon is too detailed and thus violates the Chrome Web Store rules. The mention of all the people who helped to develop and translate ClearURLs is against Google's rules because it could "confuse" the user. Ridiculous. > Also, Google…

> it was claimed that the description of the addon is too detailed and thus violates the Chrome Web Store rules.

This one does make me laugh more than the rest, coming from Google that names their apps in the Play store as follows: "Android Auto - Google Maps, Media & Messaging" "Files by Google: Clean up space on your phone" "Google Chrome: Fast & Secure" "Google Duo - High quality video calls" "Phone by Google - Caller ID and spam protection"

If this is a policy, perhaps they'll delist their own apps from the store?

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#294

Post by throwawaysea »

teekert wrote: post #35

Why are people still on Chrome? Just use a browser whose interests align with yours, like Firefox.

Does it actually align? Mozilla also polices their extension store for content that disagrees with their politics, breaching the necessary neutrality of a browser: https://reclaimthenet.org/firefox-rejects-free-speech-bans-f...

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#295

Post by SamBam »

fbelzile wrote: post #287
dessant wrote: post #37

I'd love to use ClearURLs, though last I checked it had a major flaw: it allows arbitrary code execution by the provider of the filter list. Among other things, it can redirect script URLs to arbitrary sources, and the filter list is periodically updated from a GitLab page, which enables the filter list provider to perform a targeted attack by serving a malicious filter list to a specific device. The only filter list…

If you don't like the risk this poses, don't use the extension. Your ability to make informed decisions about risk vs reward keeps getting chipped away when Google pulls this kind of stuff off. Google should warn you about the security risks (edit: or just remove it from the public facing store and only keep the hard to guess URL active) but don't tell me what extensions I'm allowed to use or not. Even adding local e…

I disagree with this stance. Pulling extensions that have a large potential for abuse is absolutely in Google's prerogative, in my opinion.

Suppose our single maintainer decided to finally sell the extension, and the person who bought it made it so that all those links hijacked information or exposed you to malware. This would happen in one day without warning. How many people would be saying that was Google's fault for allowing this to happen?

You say people should determine for themselves based on risk, but most users of Chrome extensions are naive when it comes to understanding risk.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#296

Post by random5634 »

g_p wrote: post #17

It looks like the developer may be in the EU. If they offer the add-on as a business, it may be worth looking at if any of the internet rights legal groups will help take the case up under the 2019 EU platform rules. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32... These make various requirements around how Google act, and include requirements around removing products from platforms. As an aside, it se…

God - if remote code execution exploits are an EU right we are screwed!

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#297

Post by throwaway2048 »

SamBam wrote: post #295
fbelzile wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't like the risk this poses, don't use the extension. Your ability to make informed decisions about risk vs reward keeps getting chipped away when Google pulls this kind of stuff off. Google should warn you about the security risks (edit: or just remove it from the public facing store and only keep the hard to guess URL active) but don't tell me what extensions I'm allowed to use or not. Even adding local e…

I disagree with this stance. Pulling extensions that have a large potential for abuse is absolutely in Google's prerogative, in my opinion. Suppose our single maintainer decided to finally sell the extension, and the person who bought it made it so that all those links hijacked information or exposed you to malware. This would happen in one day without warning. How many people would be saying that was Google's fault…

Surely if this was the reason Google pulled the extension, they would say so.

They wouldn't be making it about the description being too detailed.

While this may be bad, I think it is merely incidental.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#299

Post by SamBam »

throwaway2048 wrote: post #297
SamBam wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree with this stance. Pulling extensions that have a large potential for abuse is absolutely in Google's prerogative, in my opinion. Suppose our single maintainer decided to finally sell the extension, and the person who bought it made it so that all those links hijacked information or exposed you to malware. This would happen in one day without warning. How many people would be saying that was Google's fault…

Surely if this was the reason Google pulled the extension, they would say so. They wouldn't be making it about the description being too detailed. While this may be bad, I think it is merely incidental.

Fair point.

Re: Google Removed ClearURLs Extension from Chrome Web Store

#300

Post by ziddoap »

thitcanh wrote: post #100
llampx wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I enjoy Edge and Firefox a lot and never use Chrome. I certainly think that Chrome being Google's browser is grounds enough to look critically at it aside from everything else.

I don’t disagree, I don’t see why my comment was downvoted. The browser itself is fine , it’s the company that isn’t — and that’s why I don’t use it myself.

If I were to guess, it would be saying something is "objectively the best" followed by personal anecdotes with no objectivity.
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