Guys, if you don’t like these proposals from Google, you need to switch to Firefox now! It’s the only way to defend freedom on the web!
Over 85% of Mozilla’s income comes from their Google search deal. Google is keeping Mozilla alive to prevent antitrust issues. If Mozilla rocks the boat too much, Google will fund a more obedient alternative.
So your answer to “Google is evil use another browser” is… if we all swap to Firefox google will kill it?
Google is keeping Firefox alive because 5% of all web users using Google search by default is pretty useful for them.
If you want to avoid that, simply use firefox and set your search to DuckDuckGo/Bing. If Google drops them, Microsoft have already shown a want to step up into that position.
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Why are you pushing Firefox when Vivaldi did the work of writing this article and Vivaldi has consistently been pro-user, pro privacy, and anti-google even while using Chromium as their backbone. Viva Vivaldi.
Using any chromium fork is supporting chromium as the default browser, and choosing gecko-based browsers means you throw your hat in the ring to show websites that not just chromium browsers visit them. Using a chromium fork also means you accept that google will dictate standards less harmful than web integrity. While it’s not the end of the world, the last time this happened IE9 happened. Using Firefox means google can’t simply decide to implement any spec they want and that spec becomes true because all user agents have it (exactly what is at risk of happening here. Vivaldi may make nice blog posts but if this ends up happening they’ll be happy to implement it else risk losing their entire user base)
The would have been an argument to be made about performance but nowadays blink and gecko are pretty much at the same performance level.
Death to chromium forked browsers. Vivaldi is chromium.
I have used Vivaldi and even led my kid to use it, but I still always go back to Firefox and/or LibreWolf for peace of mind and extensions like uBlock Origin and Anesidora.
Because it’s better to support a diversity of web render engines instead to avoid a situation like back in the days with IE.
Firefox has officially stated their position on this https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/852
I really think the world needs a few more Elon Musks around. I mean, wouldn’t it be great to have a Musk at Google to destroy it from the inside just like he’s doing to Twitter?
You had me at the first half, ngl.
Cory Doctorow talked a bit about this, among other enshittification problems, on his Pluralustic post today.
Thanks, enjoyed reading that
This is a fantastic overview of the issue with this proposal, in the broader context of enshittification.
Final nail in the coffin of don’t be evil. Next they’ll require this for accessing gmail
I hope the EU can get to a quick decision on this. I trust they’ll provide a carrot on a stick to maintain the open internet in a way that’ll make Google suffer if they decide to not play ball with Brussels’ terms.
I’m really hoping this doesn’t make it into Brave their teams has removed a lot of Google crap in the past. Mullvad’s fork of Firefox can always replace them.
You don’t seem to understand. This is not a feature that a browser can simply choose not to implement. The WEBSITES that you are accessing will be checking that you are using a verified browser and that you are a confirmed user.
I have no idea what this means
Eh something had to happen. The prevalence of ad blockers and people not wanting to pay for things.
Maybe don’t make websites 80% ads?
