Google announced that the latest version of its Chrome browser would feature a quieter interface when it comes to notifications and requests from websites. When Chrome 80 releases, users will be able to opt into less intrusive notifications. Previously, users had to manually opt-out of individual web pages. To ensure that users get a comfortable experience, Google is going to automatically silence notifications for users who infrequently accept them, and for websites with low acceptance rates.
Google announced the upcoming changes in a post on Tuesday in the Chromium Blog. There, they announce the latest developments in the technology that backs their Google Chrome browser. Notably, Microsoft has also adopted the technology and is working it into the newest version of its Microsoft Edge browser. It’s unclear whether or not the options will be integrated into every browser that runs on Chromium.
With the quiet user interface activated, users will see a crossed off bell icon up in the address bar. The details of the mode will be explained when the update is enabled, but users can interact with the bell icon to turn the quiet mode on or off. Currently, users can either block or allow all notifications through the site settings. The new update is setting quiet mode as a middle ground for people who want notifications but don’t want it to interrupt their browsing experience.
Chrome Fights Dangerous Notifications
With Chrome 80’s update, Google could inadvertently add some additional protection against cyberthreats. Many computers catch adware through popups on other websites, masquerading as sweepstakes or useful software. The quiet mode could be used as an extra buffer, especially with Google automatically silencing sites with popups that have low interaction rates. Mozilla’s browser, Firefox, has allowed users to blocked notification requests as of its Firefox 72 update. The update also replaces pop-ups with a speech bubble that appears by the address bar. The speech bubbles can be interacted with, but ultimately they serve the same purpose as the upcoming Chrome update.
While the update is a welcome one that could inadvertently cut back on the number of cyberthreats, Google is looking to take a more active stance in internet security. In their blog they wrote, “Later in 2020 we plan to enable additional enforcement against abusive websites using web notifications for ads, malware, or deceptive purposes,” more details will be described at a later time. It’s nice to see that browsers are moving to make a safer internet. Along with the speech bubbles, Firefox features an optional block for fingerprinting scripts they might encounter on the web.
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Source: Chromium Blog
