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Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

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Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#271

Post by XzAeRosho »

netdur wrote: post #241
mplewis wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WEI turns non-compliant browsers into second-class citizens. You’re perfectly free to use whatever compliant browser engine and OS combo you like today – but in a world with WEI, you’ll have to use Approved Chrome on an Approved OS on Approved Hardware with Approved Signing Keys, or you won’t be able to sign into your bank.

isn't this good? banks can raise security while we can still use any browser to check hackers news! or this 3 cows story?

The problem is that this feature can and will be used to restrict the users, it doesn't offer any real benefit to you.

This will not increase security for the user either, it's just a new barrier at the risk of higher fingerprinting. Why should you care how your bank handles security? It's their responsibility, not yours to handle.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#272

Post by Ygg2 »

supernikio2 wrote: post #211

I've heard time and time again how this is "the end of the free web". Can someone succinctly explain how this is the case, for somebody not familiar with web browser architecture? What does WEI provide that wasn't previously possible?

Future web will require you to have certified browser - Chrome ™, to access the web. It will require certified OS Windows™, running on trusted Hardware TPM™, running trusted firmware CIA™.

You'll have no choice and your love will be mandatory.

This won't stop malware of course. However a skull clamp will be installed to monitor your thoughts and you will be zapped if undesirable thoughts are detected.

Note: it's a hyperbole but if you want another OS, Browser or hardware you'll be forced to Homebrew it. Or use a compromised app.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#273

Post by easyThrowaway »

Get the Wikipedia Foundation on board and make sure the wikipedia or other big mediawiki hosts refuse to show any kind of content if such feature is detected in the browser.

Also, if you're a distro mantainer, configure apache and nginx defaults to make this is the default behaviour.

Even better: instead of redirecting to any wall of text with a long explanation of the political and technical reasons of this choice, just display a big, loud "ERROR" message stating that their browser is unsupported due to the presence of this module, and a small tutorial on how to deactivate it from the about:config page, if available.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#276

Post by coldpie »

Mountain_Skies wrote: post #250
coldpie wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Google needs to be broken up. To make it explicit: the only way this happens is by Americans voting for it. The FTC has been more active on anti-trust issues in the past two years than at any time in the past 30. That's a direct result of the 2020 election. Elections matter.

How much of that involves the tech industry? Are you seriously claiming that Silicon Valley and Donald Trump were besties while the Democrats and tech hate each other?

> How much of that involves the tech industry?

A lot. Here's a link where you can read about some recent activity in the tech industry (change it to sort by Date, I couldn't figure out how to do that in the URL): https://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=ftc You can probably find more on Google (or perhaps Duck Duck Go? :) ).

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#277

Post by userbinator »

For those who still aren't sure why this is a bad thing, read Stallman's "Right to Read" story --- that's the direction WEI is going to take the Internet and probably other things too, if the opposition isn't strong enough.

Ironically, WEI is one letter off from WEF... but I doubt that was intentional.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#278

Post by shadowgovt »

insanitybit wrote: post #253
c0l0 wrote: post #5

I feel like I have to repeat this, since so much is at stake here, where it is about the preservation of the web as we know it today, at the peril of having it turned into yet another walled garden: The only way around the dystopia this will lead to is to constantly and relentlessly shame and even harass all those involved in helping create it. The scolding in the issue tracker of that wretched "project" shall flow l…

That sounds entirely unhelpful. They can just close the issue tracker + people will obviously just move on. This sounds like the Reddit 'blackout' that did nothing and is already forgotten. What we really need is for the collective browser vendors to refuse to implement this and, if Chrome pushes forward, to bring Google to court over it. Nothing short of legal intervention is going to help here.

What sort of regulation do we imagine a government putting into place to stop this? If anything, governments tend to lean in favor of identification and verification systems because they make corporate commerce run more smoothly.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#279

Post by account42 »

insanitybit wrote: post #253
c0l0 wrote: post #5

I feel like I have to repeat this, since so much is at stake here, where it is about the preservation of the web as we know it today, at the peril of having it turned into yet another walled garden: The only way around the dystopia this will lead to is to constantly and relentlessly shame and even harass all those involved in helping create it. The scolding in the issue tracker of that wretched "project" shall flow l…

That sounds entirely unhelpful. They can just close the issue tracker + people will obviously just move on. This sounds like the Reddit 'blackout' that did nothing and is already forgotten. What we really need is for the collective browser vendors to refuse to implement this and, if Chrome pushes forward, to bring Google to court over it. Nothing short of legal intervention is going to help here.

Or we could show Chrome users what the future will look like for alternative browsers - by blocking Chrome now.

Re: Google is already pushing WEI into Chromium

#280

Post by ColinHayhurst »

Google depends on Adwords. Other revenue streams are minor in comparison. Chromium is the main moat. Android too, of course. ~$15 billion to Apple is another, so protecting all on mobile. With the demise of AICOA, we cannot hope or expect the EU to deliver. In a sense it's simple; folks have to stop using Google search in order to preserve the web, and support those who are trying to preserve it. But I would say that. We are doing what we can.
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