This CL moves the base::Feature from content_features.h to
a generated feature from runtime_enabled_features.json5.
This means that the base::Feature can be default-enabled
while the web API is co...
Isn’t someone just going to fork Chromium, take out this stuff,
Yes, upstream Chromium forks will likely try to remove this functionality, but
put in something that spoofs the DRM to the sites so that adblocking still works?
This is the part that is not possible. The browser is not doing the attestation; it’s a third party who serves as Attestor. All the browser does is makes the request to the attestor, and passes the attestor’s results to the server you’re talking to. There is no way a change in the browser could thwart this if the server you’re talking to expects attestation.
This violates just about every single open web principal that allowed Google to gain so much power. When they changed their motto from Don’t Be Evil, to Do No Harm, they obviously chose deception. Their new motto should be Do Whatever is Profitable, or more succinctly Be Evil.
I don’t really understand how that’s possible. The browser gets a token from the third party, and passes that token to the server to “prove” it’s running the DRM. The server then passes code back to the browser. At that point, why can’t the browser just cut out the DOM elements which are ads?
I don’t understand how code I write on hardware I run locally can ever have it’s hands tied like this.
It won’t be your hardware in a few years if this goes through. The code will run in a secure enclave and you won’t be able to access your bank or log in to government websites if you control the hardware.
Android phones are starting to do this, and it’s a nightmare for people like me who actually want to own the device they purchased.
Needing root access on Android to regain basic functionality (such as the ability to backup installed apps) is a sad indicator of where we’re headed ☹️… As much as I dislike iOS’s walled garden, they make backups dirt easy for the end user - and they do complete backups too - app data, homescreen layout and all.
I see what you’re saying. I read it as implying the browser would fake the attestation token. I don’t know the answer, but if their (stated) goal is to stop bots and scrapers, I have to assume it wouldn’t be so simple. After all, a lot of bots and scrapers are literally running an instance of Chrome.
Yes, upstream Chromium forks will likely try to remove this functionality, but
This is the part that is not possible. The browser is not doing the attestation; it’s a third party who serves as Attestor. All the browser does is makes the request to the attestor, and passes the attestor’s results to the server you’re talking to. There is no way a change in the browser could thwart this if the server you’re talking to expects attestation.
This violates just about every single open web principal that allowed Google to gain so much power. When they changed their motto from Don’t Be Evil, to Do No Harm, they obviously chose deception. Their new motto should be Do Whatever is Profitable, or more succinctly Be Evil.
I don’t really understand how that’s possible. The browser gets a token from the third party, and passes that token to the server to “prove” it’s running the DRM. The server then passes code back to the browser. At that point, why can’t the browser just cut out the DOM elements which are ads?
I don’t understand how code I write on hardware I run locally can ever have it’s hands tied like this.
It won’t be your hardware in a few years if this goes through. The code will run in a secure enclave and you won’t be able to access your bank or log in to government websites if you control the hardware.
Android phones are starting to do this, and it’s a nightmare for people like me who actually want to own the device they purchased.
Needing root access on Android to regain basic functionality (such as the ability to backup installed apps) is a sad indicator of where we’re headed ☹️… As much as I dislike iOS’s walled garden, they make backups dirt easy for the end user - and they do complete backups too - app data, homescreen layout and all.
I see what you’re saying. I read it as implying the browser would fake the attestation token. I don’t know the answer, but if their (stated) goal is to stop bots and scrapers, I have to assume it wouldn’t be so simple. After all, a lot of bots and scrapers are literally running an instance of Chrome.