Web Environment Integrity: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:50, 3 November 2023

Revision as of 12:13, 3 November 2023

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{{Short description|Proposed API standard by Google}}

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

'''Web Environment Integrity''' ('''WEI''') is an [[API]] proposal formerly being developed 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> but was removed when the proposal was abandoned in November 2023. The proposal has been criticized by many tech groups.<ref name="abandoned">{{cite web |last1=Claburn |first1=Thomas |title=Google abandons Web Environment Integrity proposal |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/02/google_abandons_web_environment_integrity/ |website=[[The Register]] |access-date=2 November 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

== Proposal ==

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== Reception ==

The proposal received widespread criticism for limiting general purpose computing, with some comparing WEI to [[digital rights management]] (DRM).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=2023-07-24 |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=2023-07-26 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |title=Google Web Environment Integrity draft draws developer rage |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/25/google_web_environment_integrity/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref> Others have accused the standard of being evidence of Google abusing Chrome's near-[[monopoly]] of browser share.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Claburn |first=Thomas |title=Google Web Environment Integrity draft draws developer rage |url=https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/25/google_web_environment_integrity/ |access-date=2023-08-19 |website=www.theregister.com[[The Register]] |language=en}}</ref> Some have issued official statements on the matter in 2023:

* On July 25, [[Mozilla]] opposed it, stating "Any browser, server, or publisher that implements common standards is automatically part of [[the Web]]{{nbsp}}... Mechanisms that attempt to restrict these choices are harmful to the openness of the Web ecosystem and are not good for users."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Request for Position: Web Environment Integrity API · Issue #852 · mozilla/standards-positions |url=https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/852 |access-date=2023-07-26 |website=GitHub |language=en}}</ref>