As browsers decline in relevance, they're becoming DRM timebombs

[natehoffelder]

Yes. This is why Google cancelled ChromeOS.

[mewyn]

@natehoffelder

Yes. This is why Google cancelled ChromeOS.

That’s news to Google. I talk with people on the ChromeOS team quite often and they have quite the opposite to say about it.

[natehoffelder]

I was being sarcastic.

[redesigned]

@mewyn

I want a world without DRM. It doesn’t solve the problems people are looking to solve with it, it just adds obstacles for legit users and more shit to go wrong. But instead of being up in arms about every little thing that comes up, the people who oppose things like DRM need to pick the right battles.

I agree 100%!!!

@rkt88edmo

you are using the different apps (facebook, instagram, tindr etc.) directly more

This was certainly the trend initially with smartphones and tablets, but we are seeing not just a slowing, but a reverse trend now. Turns out people only install so many apps on average and people are having what the industry has termed “app fatigue”. Turns out every website doesn’t have to become an app which is a good thing.

@mewyn

Apps are on the rise, but they will plateau and I suspect that people will use them for two things in general.

already happening!

[redesigned]

@doctorow

ComScore: Desktop Browsing on the Decline | PCMag

(that’s just one of many recent studies citing less and less traffic from browsers, and more experience being contained within silos; see eg Facebook Instant Pages)

Thanks for the reply.

That article doesn’t say what you think it does. The study it referenced refers to desktop browsing only when talking about the decrease and points out that mobile browsing is increasing by the same amount and more, both the linked reports show an overall increase in browsing time, just a shift in the devices used.

Also, many of those “silo apps” are built on mobile safari or mobile chrome views and are actually the web browsers, without the UI, exposing actual web based apps. They aren’t diminishing the importance of the browser, they are increasing its significance. The browser has grown beyond a window into web portals and is now the basis for building an entire ecosystem of apps and is even the basis for an entire OS.

Have you seen the chrome app store? Every single one of those apps runs using the chrome browser.

This much more through and detailed analysis shows that we are still seeing a strong increase:

2024 Mobile marketing statistics compilation | Smart Insights

[Anselm]

@chromakey

Given that ‘video-based exploits’ are already an established risk factor online, the idea of standardizing a new way of wrapping them in concealing encryption that, by virtue DRM conceit, is not intended to be enduser controllable or decryptable, seems like it’s also a new backhanded way of providing a conduit for exploits and man-in-the-middle attacks to run directly on our hardware.

Pre-EME, Netflix and friends would rely on things like Flash to implement their DRM schemes. The new setup means that the content decryption modules, which are basically dedicated pieces of code that your browser feeds bits to get other bits back (as opposed to complete programming environments that essentially let a third party take over part of your screen and various I/O devices on your computer to do whatever they please), will be a lot easier to sandbox so they don’t get to do things that they’re not supposed to be doing. If that is done properly I would consider that a net security improvement.

[redesigned]

@Anselm

will be a lot easier to sandbox so they don’t get to do things that they’re not supposed to be doing. If that is done properly I would consider that a net security improvement.

exactly right!!!

since the EME binds to the video tag and is only for media decryption the CDM can be completely sandboxed providing both vastly improved security and enhanced user privacy. firefox designed their current EME sandbox to specifically protect user privacy.

this is a HUGE improvement over things like Flash that allow SuperCookies that can track you across any site even if regular cookies are disabled.

[hello_friends]

Oops! I like your gif because I thought it referenced the legally uninformed techno-trivia responses to these posts. The articles are some of the best available coverage of the incipient legal issues.

[Phrenological]

There’s not a great deal of competition, browser agnosticism is a plus, to me.

[beep54orama]

Olympus is probably the only camera maker that puts its name in the title/subject part of the metadata. I find this annoying. [this is a extremely minor pet peeve of mine; I take a certain amount of odd delight in deleting them when found] There’s a whole section in there devoted to the camera so this is not even necessary. Also, for some stupid reason, if you fill in the title part of the properties (the metadata), Windoz will automatically repeat it in the subject part unless otherwise specified.

[enso]

Funny but I take security reports for Firefox as my job and we have no plans to prosecute anyone for reporting bugs (nor would I have a mechanism to do so). In fact, we pay bounties for serious issues.

[enso]

@mewyn

want a world without DRM.

You can have it for yourself if you want it, can’t you? It is also a world without Netflix, ESPN, or HBO To Go, right?

[anon68939300]

I’m glad somebody is doing some fact checking.

[amyvdh]

From the W3C:
The W3C does stand for an Open Web. We have worked for more than 20 years toward keeping the Web open, accessible and interoperable while pursuing our mission [1] to lead the Web to its full potential.

Technology and policy are now increasingly linked. However, changes to law do not happen at the technical standards level. Advocacy for change must be done at the legal level where the threats originate. When the energy of advocacy about changes to the DMCA, the CFAA and other international laws of this kind is made where actual change can be effected, then, the Web, citizens, and users (including security researchers) will truly benefit from energetic advocacy.

We’ve got to work together - on the right pieces and in the right places.

The W3C is consensus-driven. We work on making a Web for everyone. We may differ on some points of view with others; we may have different values. People want to use the Web in different ways.

The W3C sees value in a Web that can include openness and can support features like video on the Web as well as Web security, accessibility and interoperability.

To see W3C’s perspective on this please read: “Perspectives on security research, consensus and W3C process” [2] and "Information about W3C and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME)” [3].

1. http://www.w3.org/Consortium/mission
2. https://www.w3.org/blog/2016/06/perspectives-on-security-research-consensus-and-w3c-process/
3. http://www.w3.org/2016/03/EME-factsheet.html