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Less secure apps and your Google Account

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Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#11

Post by asdfasgasdgasdg »

eadmund wrote: post #5

Does this mean no more app tokens, e.g. to retrieve IMAP mail?

I do not believe so. Last time this was reported it was about preventing web views from being used to sign in. The idea is to prevent apps from phishing your credentials. Instead, you have to hand off to a secure browser for sign-in. After signed in, the app should be able to do anything it was able to do before.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#16

Post by tomxor »

I've noticed gmail randomly blocks Firefox these days under the pretence of "your browser may not be secure" (i.e it doesn't persist through page refreshes), similar to how they try to make you do a captcha unless you refresh the page...

I seem to have less and less control over where and how I am allowed to sign in (even thought I'm using a U2F key), and as a result I'm definitely getting pushed closer to the threshold to move away from gmail out of lockout anxiety.

[edit]

To all those comments that assume I'm: running an outdated browser, have a broken profile, am running untrustworthy plugins, am doing UA spoofing or have been pwned etc etc...

First you are missing the point: I dislike being held to increasingly arbitrary and opaque metrics of what Google defines as "safe"... because that is anxiety inducing, what will it be next week? even if I can log in now, will I be able to log in then?

Second: No, this is Google's fault, not mine. I have not been pwned, this occurs through multiple OS installs. I always keep my browser(s) up to date (i'm a web dev), I know the implications of runing lots of plugins (I do not). However i DO employ restrictions as do many HN readers that Google will find undesirable, uBlock Origin, Firefox enhanced tracking protection, block third part cookies, DNS level ad and tracker blocking etc... It's likely Google doesn't like one of these, but back to point no. 1: it's an opaque metric, I do not like this... hell it may even be because i'm running Linux - so maybe I should do UA spoofing after all to pretend to be a "normal" Windows or Mac user.

Re: Less secure apps and your Google Account

#17

Post by einpoklum »

I suggest all HN readers use this opportunity to stop using Google accounts, if they haven't done so already. Potential benefits:

* Better privacy (on many/most alternatives); Google will no longer read your email, store it for use by themselves and their partners, and perhaps pass a copy along to the NSA as Edward Snowden has revealed happens.

* Less exposure to manipulative ads, and lower finesse of manipulation due to less data about you.

* Easier for you to turn on ad-blockers without worrying about that also blocking Google junk.

* Less chance of Google applying censorship to content you publish or transmit.

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