this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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If you don't like how Google is able to do this, know it's because of it's market share, and you should just use Firefox.
You should use Firefox (or a fork of it), but can we expect them to be an option if Google's actions make it so most sites only work on Chrome?
Google can't make websites update.
Websites will only update to Chrome specific things if Chrome is the dominant browser.
How do you stop Chrome being the dominant browser? By not using it.
It's not going to be that simple. CDNs like Cloudflare are already on board with this, and Safari built a similar feature last year (and virtually no one noticed or cared). This horse has already left the barn and I'm not sure there's anything we can do at this point.
EDIT - Oh and I didn't think of this but Google absolutely CAN make websites update. "We'll improve your SEO ranking if you support this new feature". They've done this before and they'll do it again.
Best case might be if we could get EU to ban it.
Google can make websites that use its advertising platform support attestation. I wouldn't be surprised if that's their plan.
Unfortunately Chrome is the dominant browser by a long way.
I use Firefox on every PC and device and wish it was more popular but the non geeks don't understand so use Chrome.
Exactly. We need more people to move away from it.
I typically lead by example and will tell anyone who listens about how good modern Firefox is.
I use Firefox via the forks LibreWolf (desktop) and Fennec (Android).
My hope is for Gemini browsers to get popular (Gemini is not a web browser, the "sites" are just text and links).
They can make sites to not work on Chrome, not the other way around. Unless you implemented some chrome only features in your site then that's on you.
I expect businesses to impliment Chrome-only features in their sites..
I recall Edge became Chrome based due in part to Google making needless changes on their own sites (e.g. Youtube) whjch broke functionity in Edge.
Except you’ll have to keep a copy of Chrome handy because this is less about what software you’re using and more about which apps are attested and approved for that website.
Once your bank says “we’re requiring this” it’s kinda over isn’t it?
Your bank will only do it, if, and only if, Chrome is a majority of browsers they see.
How do you stop that? By not using it.
Everyone keeps postulating over a terrible future, but won't actually do anything now, today, to help prevent it.
The bank already has your money. Asking you to install a free app to use their services would not be seen by regulators as unreasonable. Especially when they play the security argument.
I don’t see how Chrome has to be in the majority for some sectors to start relying on these kinds of attestations. Safari already has a similar mechanism, so that right there is the majority of mobile users when you include Chrome.
Let's hope not all banks do this so we can switch to the ones that doesn't
I fear voting with one's wallet is not enough to prevent any business from doing something in their best interests at the expense of the consumer/user. When it comes to banks we'd have to place our hope the governments.. which relies of them actually representing voters.
But Chrome is already the dominant browser, and Firefox has like 2% market share last time I checked.
I'll be telling my bank I'll be taking my mortgage elsewhere. I pray that's still possible.
One does not simply change banks when it comes to a mortgage.
Maybe wherever you live. In first world countries, it's fairly straightforward.
I've never even used a chrome browser except punctually, yet here we are.
I've been on Firefox for years. Was never much of a problem, but lately there's more and more sites that require a Chromium-based browser. Some of them quite crucial. A list from experience:
It's not uncommon for such sites to work fine in Firefox if you just add a user agent switcher addon, so that is worth trying (can be limited to specific sites so you advertise Firefox usage for others).
AFAIK Netflix limits resolution on every browser but Edge
See this kind of shit is why I pirate, not because I can't afford to pay $10 a month. When the $10 for a lot of content becomes $10 per month per piece of media you like, and you can't watch it on your platform of choice, and you can't watch it on a flight without paying more or not at all, this makes the $5 per month I pay for a VPN sound like a far better service.
is that true? and why would it be?
It's true. Edge is the only browser with 4K support. They claim it's due to improved HTML5 support, but who knows really. I suspect their content delivery network uses some kind of Microsoft proprietary compression or somesuch. I know old Netflix was Silverlight-based due to their DRM.
They use an Edge-exclusive DRM for 4K video on the web. You can just download the Netflix app from the Microsoft Store instead.
Yep, I'm aware. I was just answering the person above me.
Installing an app also makes it able to collect much more information than constrained in a proper web browser.
Ok, I got it wrong guys
Chrome has won
Let's all go home, install a Chromium-based spyware-laced browser and bow down to our Google overlords.