Oh look, a monopolist is making settings "more secure" by enshrining monopoly more.
And good fucking luck getting the FTC to follow monopoly law.
Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
51–60 of 194 posts
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's their organization. They are allowed to make decisions about what software their employees use. I'm a die-hard Mozilla fan, but I don't find this unreasonable.
The problem is Google appears to label this as a security feature. I'm fine with the feature existing, but it should say something like "require Chrome" or "block Firefox" not "require a secure browser (wink wink we actually mean Chrome)"
The wording here is bad, but basically CAA supports non browser specific policy and, in some cases, browser specific policy (GSuite offers a "Managed Chrome" policy). Firefox users can leverage much of the non browser specific policy, they obviously can not be a part of the "Managed Chrome" offering.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is the implication that Firefox is not maintained or? The issue presented doesn’t seem to be “an up to date browser check” it seems to be a “is it latest chrome” check, which is a very different thing.
We don't know. The author doesn't mention how current the Firefox browser is/was. If the organization is indeed enabling a specific check for Chrome that seems a little over the top but they're the ones supporting their users and if they want to make their life easier by only dealing with one browser that's their decision to make. It's like saying that everyone has to use Windows, or a specific line of laptops, or an…
> This was for a Google Workspace Business Plus account and workspace, from an up to date browser and OS.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#54Earlier quoted context omitted.
If we are meant to believe that this is a Chrome-invasion-move, it's the least effective lever of all times. Most of the time the more plausible explanations are just the likely ones.
you’d probably say something different if it were microsoft. I don’t see why I should give affordances of good will to Google here. They’re not stupid, they know that this is an effective lever to further cement full-fat chrome as the default browser for the internet.
Chrome was created because Google felt that the IE monopoly was hindering the advancement of web standards and improved browser capabilities. I suppose you could argue that was a different Google at a different time, but at one point they did feel that browser diversity was a good thing.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
it shouldn’t be an option. Some IT departments just see a “more secure” checkbox and will always check it, even if it doesn’t make sense holistically- sometimes compliance incentivises (or forces) this behaviour. A common example is forcing intune/device enrolment for mobile devices (including ipads)- but not for the infinitely less secure laptops: because no such endpoint enforcement checkbox exists
It's their organization. They are allowed to make decisions about what software their employees use. I'm a die-hard Mozilla fan, but I don't find this unreasonable.
I would say it's common to find dark patterns that involves ambiguity like the discussion we are having here. We can't know for sure but Google can increase the probability of being on their ecosystem.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is there a policy to require “Chrome” and not a policy to require another browser, hmm?
Google offers "Managed Chrome" as a service. What would you like them to do, offer "Managed Firefox"? Should AWS offer "Managed GCP"?
I don’t think Google should also offer a product that detects “managed Chrome”
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's their organization. They are allowed to make decisions about what software their employees use. I'm a die-hard Mozilla fan, but I don't find this unreasonable.
Google and Microsoft shouldn’t be giving levers that bake you more into their ecosystem regardless. Your corporate serfdom is not in question, but I disagree with that notion too.
If a corporation with my data allowed access to its internal tools using any browser running any arbitrary and possibly compromised third party extensions, that's a data leak and class action lawsuit waiting to happen.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#58Earlier quoted context omitted.
Using a maintained and up-to-date browser is a reasonable requirement for an IT department (should be for anyone really). Would you suggest they should be allowing IE6 just because a user might prefer it? Of course Google is going to suggest using Chrome, if they detect that the browser might be out of date.
Is the implication that Firefox is not maintained or? The issue presented doesn’t seem to be “an up to date browser check” it seems to be a “is it latest chrome” check, which is a very different thing.
No, not at all. The implication is that the organization is dictating the software that employees are to use. There's nothing unusual about this.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#59This is not a Google-wide thing… this is from Google’s Context-Aware Access product, which is configurable in Google Workspace environments. OP should direct their ire at their corporate IT or infosec team.
it shouldn’t be an option. Some IT departments just see a “more secure” checkbox and will always check it, even if it doesn’t make sense holistically- sometimes compliance incentivises (or forces) this behaviour. A common example is forcing intune/device enrolment for mobile devices (including ipads)- but not for the infinitely less secure laptops: because no such endpoint enforcement checkbox exists
Well - it does make sense. If an organisation that contracts me has to chose between a) BYOD - but restrict downloads, etc, enforce export control, directly in the browser - I happily take that, vs getting a Windows laptop that is locked down and forced to work with that.
Re: Google workspace threatening to block Firefox access
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
it shouldn’t be an option. Some IT departments just see a “more secure” checkbox and will always check it, even if it doesn’t make sense holistically- sometimes compliance incentivises (or forces) this behaviour. A common example is forcing intune/device enrolment for mobile devices (including ipads)- but not for the infinitely less secure laptops: because no such endpoint enforcement checkbox exists
It's their organization. They are allowed to make decisions about what software their employees use. I'm a die-hard Mozilla fan, but I don't find this unreasonable.
Note that making lock-in features like this effectively proprietary to the Chrome browser is only possible because of the fact that it's the same company making Google Workspace and Google Chrome.
I absolutely see many problems with this and you really ought to as well.