Google is already pushing WEI(DRM Webpage) into Chromium

Time to De-Google I guess. I will keep using Firefox and if or when I come across any website pulling this crap I won't hesitate to blast them to eternity. I suggest everyone else do the same please.
- Time was a decade ago... But better now than never.
  
  With that kind of attitude, it's a wonder no one listened to you a decade ago!
- I’m just going to stop using sites that implement this tech. Maybe I’ll even make a site and actually contribute to the web with all the free time I’ll have 😇
  
  It'll be next to impossible when those websites are your bank and Netflix etc.

De-google, anyone?
- How do you "de-google" when most websites expect most browsers to use chromium and start requiring this to ensure ~~companies buying ad space get the best bang for their buck~~ security?
  
  Most websites? Haven't come across one yet (I am using Firefox on all devices and don't have any other browser installed) ... Do you have any examples?
  
  Firefox and ublock origin to start. Site requires Chromium? Buh bye now.
  
  I’ve been de-Googled for 6 months now and the internet works just fine on Firefox and Safari. No significant differences.
  
  I agree it is an uphill battle, but it must start somewhere. Else, it only gets worse, and then movements against such abuses will get easily crushed. As I like to say, "the hardest part of a journey is the first step", but also "the future belongs to those who prepare now".
  
  We do to google what we should have done to Microsoft: we stop visiting those sights
  
  I can count the websites I'm using that don't work with Firefox on one hand.
- I like AOSP based roms (Monet and material you) and Pixel Launcher, I use (a bit Google Assistant) and Gmail, Google maps, YouTube... Even Chrome (and I'm pretty sure many macOS apps are Chromium based), how do I even start lol.
  
  There are AOSP based roms that are de-googled. You can use third party app stores to download foss software, or other 3rd party stores that let you download from Google play (aurora). iPhone is basically the only other choice, but it's not any better in this context.
  Lots of alternative email providers. Protonmail is one.
  For maps, openstreetmap exists. You can also use Google maps without an account inside a secure browser. That will minimize data collection.
  You can use a downloader (yt-dlp or a gui that wraps it) for YouTube, or use a 3rd party app like NewPipe. Again, using YouTube without an account in a secure browser is an option.
  Chrome can obviously be replaced with Firefox/LibreWolf. If you must have a chromium based browser, you can use ungoogled chromium. chrlauncher is a small app that can be used to make it easy on windows and keep it updated.
  You cant really do anything about the apps that use chromium internally for rendering, besides finding replacements.

It's small, but here's a real actionable item that you can do to help:
Put a gentle "Use Firefox" (or any other non-Chromium-based browser) message on your website. It doesn't have to be in-your-face, just something small. I've taken my own advice and added it to my own website: https://geeklaunch.io/ (Only appears in Chromium-based browsers.)
We can slowly turn the tide, little by little.
Copy and paste:
html

<p> This site is designed for <a href="https://firefox.com/">Firefox</a>, a web browser that respects your privacy. </p>
(I also posted this on the HN discussion.)
- Your browser supports Web-DRM. Some features might not be available.
  
  This website does not support browsers that support web-drm
  
  [Cackles in Evil Spanish]
- One way to hide it for Firefox users.
  
  <p class="not-firefox-warning"> This site is designed for <a href="https://firefox.com/">Firefox</a>, a web browser that respects your privacy. </p> <style> @-moz-document url-prefix() { .not-firefox-warning { display: none; }} </style>
- I have a banner on mine as well that I did a couple weeks ago: https://toast.al
  I’m mad tho since it has false positives with Mulch / Bromite on Android. I wasn’t able to find something right away to detect it, but the DRM stuff would probably work.

Hacker News discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36876301
- That's bleak

IE in the 2000's called, it wants it's dream back.
Between this, hobbling adblockers and performing enough monopolistic acts to warrant swift government action, I really see this more as Chrome dying than the web itself.
- Breakup Alphabet. It's the only way.
  Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon next

Honestly this won't effect me a ton, though I wouldn't be surprised if I have to boot up a windows virtual machine just to check my bank in a few years cause my bank doesn't know what Linux is and doesn't want go trust it. I'm mad about it but given slowly but surely I've been replacing everything with FOSS stuff. I just fear one day they will force you to use corpo approved software to use WiFi , or get cell service
- It will likely not work inside a VM. Haven't looked into the implementation, but they will probably want to use the hardware DRM manufacturers have been sneaking into the CPUs and GPUs.
  So you will be required to use "approved" CPU, "approved" OS and "approved" browser to access certain websites, as it is already the case with online streaming. You can kiss foss goodbye.
  
  Entirely separate laptop purely for those annoying sites it is, then. At least until the approval inevitably gets cracked and can be bypassed.
  
  Pass a vTPU maybe it will
- Just keep dropping Google shit and recommending to others.Critical mass will be hit at some point. There are too many smart and capable people in the world to succumb to a Google world.

- You will use the web as google said or you won't use it at all.
  
  How to kill 3% of your userbase: implement DRM
- DRM for the web.
  Basically, if your browser modifies a web page in any way (such as by blocking ads, applying a theme, disabling javascript, whatever), the server would be able to detect this and deny access.
  
  This sound scaring, but we have been working around DRM shit since it's invention if I recall... Should we still be alarmed?
- Google is pushing some bullshit that would allow websites to check if a client (you, your browser, your device) is on the okie-dokey list. If yes, you may enter e. g. Youtube, if not the you're out. It's like a bouncer for websites and of course Google would be that bouncer. So you might stand out in the rain if you are using one of the following:
  VPN
  Adblock
  Non-Chromium browser like Firefox
- WEI checks your browser, your extensions and your OS to ensure that a site is not tampered with. Officially it's to make sure that sites don't have to deal as much with bots.
  Too bad that many of us use adblockers to protect us from malicious ads or remove ads to make a website bearable. Google also happens to distribute ads which makes the fact that adblockers likely won't work anymore a very concenient coincidence they totally didn't have in mind.
  It's also possible that non-Chromium browsers (for example Firefox) will stop working due to them either not supporting WEI or not being considered legitimate by whoever will do the checks.
  
  It is also completely contrary to the whole concept of html web design where the browser has complete control over fonts, spacing, discreet content display, etc, so that each user can consume the content in a way that works for them.
- Website: Hello, Name and ID
  Chrome: Hello! I'm Chrome by Google and here's my ID
  Website: OK, you are allowed in.
  Adblocker: Get Lost Ads!
  Website: You leave right now, Goodbye
  Although it's not just adblockers it's also uncertified browsers
  Website: Hello, Name and ID.
  Firefox: Hello I am Firefox and here's my ID.
  Website: Your not on our list, GET LOST!
- your user name 🤣
- Basically drop „don’t be evil“, split to Alphabet, wait a few years, be evil
  
  laughs maniacally in money
- This video by Louis Rossman is a pretty good explainer https://yewtu.be/watch?v=0i0Ho-x7sU

So this is a problem for all browsers based on Chromium right???
- No, it is a problem for all browsers, present and future, period.
  The point is that major websites, even government ones might decide to be only available on Chrome.
  
  So much for internet freedom…

Question for anyone with more understanding of the implementation…
Doesn’t this still presume the browser tells the truth to the third party attester? Could we not build something that just straight up lies to the attester? Says I’m a good Google chrome user with no extensions please serve me ads sir?
- My understanding was that the browser vendor itself would be the attester. So if Google says it's Google Chrome, it probably is. Unless you somehow reverse engineer how Google decides that it's Google Chrome and spoof that or something...
- This system would use cryptography and hardware to make sure that you are unable to lie about any of this. Basically, there is a chip inside your CPU that contains special keys installed by the manufacturer. However, this chip only activates itself when it detects that your device is running the approved software. Furthermore, it is made (almost) impossible to open this chip and retrieve the keys without destroying it.
  
  I dunno man, you can virtualise tpms, and if you can virtualise it, you can lie about it.

Can you explain to someone not so tech savy what this means?
- No more add blockers. No more accessibility tools. Only what google wants you to see.
  
  And this will work for google products only of for chrome as a whole?

Is there anything a person can do about it, other than using Firefox and degoogling?
- La

What is WEI?
- Stands for Web Environment Integrity. Beyond that, I know nothing.
  
  DRM in the web.
  
  Thanks.

from https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/1053748
https://github.com/RupertBenWiser/wei-wpt-other
https://github.com/RupertBenWiser/wei-wpt
these showed up after Jul 21 per GitHub “contribution activity” but are retroactively dated to 13 - they were probably private before that.
Please comment any information under this post and create cross-links to any possible posts - to create comprehensible information source.

Shamelessly stolen from the HN thread:

Don't just comment and complain, contact your antitrust authority today: US:

EU:

UK:

India:

Email template:

        I would like to bring your attention to Google’s recent proposal to add a feature to its Chrome (Chromium family) of browsers called Web Environment Integrity. This provides a mechanism to reinforce Google’s already dominant browser market position by creating a technological control that can be used to nullify a user’s choice of browser, device and operating system. This technology also has the potential for abuse by preventing users from using browser extensions that can enhance security by blocking unwanted and potentially malicious content, as well as browser extensions that help vulnerable users with enhanced accessibility needs, such as color blindness and visual impairment.

    Google’s dominant, near-monopoly position in the browser market already harms me as a consumer by reducing browser choices and preventing a competitive market for developing new browsers. Allowing Google to include this feature will reduce my browser choices and consolidate the browser market even further, and it is incumbent on [INSERT AUTHORITY HERE] to take action against this abusive behavior.

People saying de-google like google isn't in the position Microsoft was in when they killed Netscape. It's over y'all, once it's in chromium it's the standard, period. The open web is dead.
Edit: ok, be in denial then.
- Get out of here with that defeatist attitude lol. There's this little browser called Firefox. They take privacy and ad-blocking very seriously, and the browser is excellent and faster than Chrome now.
  I made the switch about six months ago and never looked back, and I am deep in the Googlesphere.
  
  Isn't the issue that the website will go through with this and firefox has to either comply or just not be able to view the webpage?
  Chrome has enough of the marketshare that websites probably don't have to be concerned with whether firefox can support them or not.
  
  It. Doesn't. Matter. What. Firefox. Does. What part of google controls 3/4 of the web don't you understand? If google puts it in Firefox has no choice, do it too or die. 5-10% of browsers not using it will not change anything except to lower that number to less than 1%.
  
  Unfortunately this little browser called Firefox has an insignificant amount of user share and pretty much no say in anything. While they might take privacy and ad blocking very seriously, they don't take feedback and their users seriously at all, being very aimed at the "let's make our userbase even smaller" after each decision or change.
  Also, Firefox is only faster than Chrome on synthetic tests on Windows 10, not reflecting real world usage in any shape or form, and on Android it's just comically slower than any other browser available.
  And as a disclaimer, I'm a Firefox user for ever 10 years now, but I fully understand that while we might win some battles here or there, the war is already lost and it's only a matter of time now. I'm also getting really tired of all the upkeep Firefox demands of me to be usable by my standards and all of Mozilla's shenanigans.
- Google isn't alone in the box. The different governments and states should be in the box with them. It's not like people warned Google and other corps are a threat to competition and freedom.
  We didn't see anything coming as antitrust procedure.
  
  Maybe Europe will do something but I know damn well the us won't.
- HEY WHY DID YOU DELETE YOUR COMMENT?!