Web Environment Integrity: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Abandoned API proposal by Google}}

{{use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

'''Web Environment Integrity''' ('''WEI''') is an abandoned [[API]] proposal previously under development for [[Google Chrome]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2023-08-03 |title=Google's nightmare "Web Integrity API" wants a DRM gatekeeper for the web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/googles-web-integrity-api-sounds-like-drm-for-the-web/ |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}</ref> A Web Environment Integrity prototype existed in [[Chromium (web browser)|Chromium]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=[wei] Ensure Origin Trial enables full feature · chromium/chromium@6f47a22 |url=https://github.com/chromium/chromium/commit/6f47a22906b2899412e79a2727355efa9cc8f5bd |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-09 |title=Feature: Web environment integrity API |url=https://chromestatus.com/feature/5796524191121408 |access-date=2023-08-23 |website=Chrome Platform Status}}</ref> butfrom wasMay<ref>{{Cite removedweb |last=Kalla |first=Ryan |title=Add WebEnvironmentIntegrity feature |url=https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/chromium/src/+/4480950 |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Chromium Source}}</ref> into November 2023 after extensive criticism by many tech groups.<ref name="abandoned">{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |date=2023-11-02 |title=Google abandons Web Environment Integrity proposal |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/02/google_abandons_web_environment_integrity/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref> Its purpose was to verify that interactions with websites were human and authentic as defined by third-party attesters.

== Proposal ==

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The proposal first showed up as a commit to [[Chromium]] in April before being announced by its developers, Google engineers, in May. It received a few concerned comments from those who followed the browser's rendering engine's development. After discussion at W3C in late April, its working draft specification was published as part of the process to develop standards for the web on July 21, 2023. As a result, users flooded the proposal's [[GitHub]] repository with critical comments and [[Flaming (Internet)|flaming]] of the proposal's authors. As a result, the Google engineers limited comment to those who have contributed to the repository and added a [[code of conduct]].<ref name="register" /> On the same day, Chromium's preliminary code to implement the standard was enabled.<ref name=":1" />

On November 2, 2023, Google abandoned the proposal, removed the prototype implementation from Chromium, and proposed a replacement API named "Android WebView Media Integrity API" limited to WebViews on Android. Google plans to start testingtested the new API with partners in early 2024.<ref name="abandoned" /> As of late 2024, WebView Media Integrity API is available to all developers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WebViewMediaIntegrityApiStatusConfig |url=https://developer.android.com/reference/kotlin/androidx/webkit/WebViewMediaIntegrityApiStatusConfig |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Android Developers |language=en}}</ref>

== Reception ==

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== External links ==

* {{GitHub|RupertBenWiserexplainers-by-googlers/Web-Environment-Integrity}}

* [https://chromestatus.com/feature/5796524191121408 Web environment integrity API - Chrome Platform Status]