Chrome 97 Released With WebTransport API

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Chrome 97 Released With WebTransport API

Google this afternoon promoted the Chrome 97 web browser to its stable series...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Chrome-97-Released

[birdie]

More importantly Google Chrome 97 introduces controversial keyboard API

[elatllat]

> dynamic-range' may be one of 'standard' or 'high'.

It should have been 1, 8, 10 or any int.

Of course Linux is standard even with HDR hardware.

[andyprough]

More importantly Google Chrome 97 introduces controversial keyboard API

FTA: "Mozilla, Apple, Brave and other browser developers voiced concerns. One key argument that the companies brought forth against the integration in their browsers was that sites could use the functionality for fingerprinting purposes."

I'm shocked.

Shocked that Google would implement something that "does not provide any functionality to the user... [but] might be used for fingerprinting"

[Ironmask]

More importantly Google Chrome 97 introduces controversial keyboard API

So... It just makes websites able to see if you're a weirdo Dvorak user?
I swear to god people just actively find things to complain about sometimes. The article said right there that Office and other apps benefit from this API.

[Siuoq]

So... It just makes websites able to see if you're a weirdo Dvorak user?
I swear to god people just actively find things to complain about sometimes. The article said right there that Office and other apps benefit from this API.

E.g. even if I use VPN, they still can see my nationality. If they have a list of ~100 or even ~1000 people of potentially being me, a nationality can basically solve it. ( Bonus question: approximately how much entropy the nationality has? )

It exposes Dvorak users, indeed. You know a Dvorak user, send her a link, and now you know her whole fingerprint, ip, UA, resolution etc. Why would any sane browser vendor allow this.

[Jabberwocky]

So... It just makes websites able to see if you're a weirdo Dvorak user?
I swear to god people just actively find things to complain about sometimes.

Complaining about people that are complaining, that's a good one! xD

I would highly recommend you read the ghacks article and it's references that you already quoted. It explains the impact of fingerprinting based on different types of ASCII layouts that include localisation data. You can even cross-reference that with IP location data and build up more information of people potentially travelling or using a VPN. This is clearly a valid concern.

The article said right there that Office and other apps benefit from this API.

Most Chrome users do not use Office. Why do all Chrome users need to increase their exposure to tracking for Office to workaround it's design problems? If Office did not use iframes then this would not be needed. Microsoft messed up and wants to fix their mistakes by changing the way the Browser works. The owner of the feature according to chromestatus.com is someone with a @microsoft.com email address...

[slagiewka]

What's the most important change for me is --ozone-platform-hint flag. Users can now set this to auto i.e. in chrome://flags and enjoy native Wayland without resorting to setting flags that control the platform like we had to do before this.

[Ironmask]

E.g. even if I use VPN, they still can see my nationality. If they have a list of ~100 or even ~1000 people of potentially being me, a nationality can basically solve it. ( Bonus question: approximately how much entropy the nationality has? )

It exposes Dvorak users, indeed. You know a Dvorak user, send her a link, and now you know her whole fingerprint, ip, UA, resolution etc. Why would any sane browser vendor allow this.

Why are you using Chrome if you're so afraid of being fingerperinted?
Why are you using the internet?
Yeah wow, this API can be used to fingerprint you, while you're using Office logged into your Microsoft account with your real name and credit card information. Can't let them know I use Dvorak, that would be the end of the world, they'd arrest me on the spot.
If you don't want to be identified then you're not using the mainstream internet anyway, so you're probably not even using a mainstream browser. I totally understand Brave not enabling this API, but complaining about standard Chrome having it? Do you complain about the CCTV cameras recording you when you walk into a police station too?
This just reminds me of that one thread where Facebook said they were adding an AI option to a compiler or something, and everyone immediately invented some logical fallacy of thinking they were going to be forced to use it, instead of it just being an option. Nobody's forcing you to use Chrome, Office or any of those apps. And if they are, it's probably due to business reasons anyway, where everyone already knows who you are.

[Siuoq]

This doesn't really address any of the issues I wrote about.

Instead it insults me and fights straw men :/