Back in July, Google's work on a Web Integrity API emerged and many equated it to DRM. The company announced today it's not proceeding...

The Chrome team says they’re not going to pursue Web Integrity but…

it is piloting a new Android WebView Media Integrity API that’s “narrowly scoped, and only targets WebViews embedded in apps.”

They say its because the team “heard your feedback.” I’m sure that’s true, and I can wildly speculate that all the current anti-trust attention was a factor too.

  • CorganaEnglish
    11•11 months ago

    Good summary. I used to think that apps were soooo much better than web apps, but I’ve come to realize that frequently the web UI is made intentionally janky to nudge users onto the apps where ads can’t be blocked.

    • @BigT54English
      5•11 months ago

      Ads can actually be blocked in apps if you use a VPN that has the ability. Though not all apps will function with a VPN enabled

      • Cosmic ClericEnglish
        2•11 months ago

        Ads can actually be blocked in apps if you use a VPN that has the ability.

        While technically correct, not really feasible on mobile devices, especially when they have not been rooted and they are controlled by the telco you get your service from.

        • @BigT54English
          1•11 months ago

          Wdym not feasible? I’m currently doing it on a non rooted android device using Mullvad VPN. Not sure what the telco has to do with ads but you can remove all of that bloatware using adb anyways.

          • Cosmic ClericEnglish
            1•11 months ago

            Wdym not feasible?

            Speaking generally, but if you lack the knowledge how to root a phone, if you’re just using the phone as it’s given to you by the phone company, they tend to control the things on there to a certain extent, and settings have a way of being switched back to the default values, etc.

            Not that it’s literally impossible to do.

            P.S. and to be honest I’m also over using the work rooted, I really mean to say one where the user has changed portions of the phone away from the default software that the phone company has on it.

      • CorganaEnglish
        2•11 months ago

        Or a PiHole! Still not as good as uBlock in a browser but an improvement.

    • cannacheEnglish
      1•11 months ago

      This is essentially an attempt to further embed Google’s existing dominance. What we need is a serious competitor in the Android space, that can involve a webstore, an api, etc that can provide an alternative force catering to both OEM and consumers alike that stands to challenge Google’s dominance to the OHA alliance.

      • baltakateiEnglish
        1•11 months ago

        Google will just buy such a competitor like Facebook did with Instagram.