Chrome 94 introduces the controversial idle detection API, which apple and Mozilla oppose

With Chrome The software version is updated by 6 Week adjusted to 4 Zhou , stay Chrome 93 Just released less than 3 weeks , Google officially released that it can adapt at the same time PC And mobile Chrome 94 Stable version , Among them, it is worth paying attention to Function update Yes ：

• Abandoning AppCache function , This feature allows developers to specify which files the browser should cache for offline users . Google recommends that you use Service Workers Instead of AppCache;
• introduce Idle Detection API;
• Introduce virtual keyboard API（VirtualKeyboard ）, The purpose is to allow developers to set the virtual keyboard position , And the shape can be controlled ;
• JavaScript Self Profiling API, It is convenient for developers to collect... From users JavaScript Performance profile , This function has also been approved by Microsoft 、Elasitc、Dropbox Response and support , For details, click Github see .

About Chrome 94 More features of the stable version , You can go to ：https://www.chromestatus.com/features/5680057076940800 see . Next, let's talk about more differences and disputes Idle Detection API function .

Idle Detection API What is it? ？

Idle Detection API Idle detection API, Notify the application when it detects that the user is idle , Stop using according to the mouse and keyboard 、 Lock screen 、 Switch out from the current application running window and other signals to judge whether the user is idle , Developers can customize threshold trigger notifications . This design is mainly applicable to multi-user collaboration , For example, meetings , Chat and games . stay Chrome 94 Enabled by default , You can also cancel in custom settings .

Support vs. against

For this controversial feature , Some people support , There are also objections , come from Slack and Google Chat According to the developer of , These events occur outside the browser , Not reserved for the browser itself ,“ Applications that promote collaboration need more global signals about whether users are idle , Instead of just considering the signals provided by existing mechanisms for users to interact with the application's own tabs ”.

And from Mozilla And apple staff don't think so .

Mozilla Person in charge of network standards Tantek Çelik Think that API It's harmful , Further incubation is needed , And reconsider simpler 、 Less invasive methods to replace . Besides , Malicious websites can use this crude model to secretly maximize local computing resources , Work calculation without the user's consent or even without the user's knowledge 、 Waste of electricity （ User costs 、 Increase carbon footprint ）. He thinks idle detection API Monitoring and controlling users infringe on users' privacy , This is a “ Opportunities to monitor capitalism ”.

Chromium Team proposal members Reilly Grant hope Safari Browser engine WebKit The team commented on this feature , He said in his mailing list ：“ at present Idle Detection API Already included here API list （WebKit Tracking prevention ） in , But because of fingerprint security , You refused to API, I want to know about the team based on idle detection API Details of foreseeable fingerprint identification risks .”

Apple Inc Ryosuke Niwa Reply to ：“ This is an obvious privacy issue , Our concerns are not limited to fingerprints , The API Allow websites to observe whether users are near the device , If the user leaves the device , It can easily be used to exploit bitcoin or deploy security vulnerabilities . From the user's point of view , They don't understand why they have to hand over such operation authority .” Regarding this ,Grant Added to ： They are carrying out a project to “ Define semantics that limit the work that a site is allowed to perform in the background （define the semantics for throttling the work that sites are allowed to do in the background）” To counter the threat of encrypted mining , And it's time to API No notification will be sent to inactive device users .

but Niwa replied ：“ The use cases presented here or elsewhere are not convincing , The privacy or security mitigation measures you proposed here and what I found elsewhere are not sufficient .”

summary

Although idle detection API There is a lot of controversy , But Google is still Chrome 94 The function is in the version . Regarding this , What do you think of this API, You will upgrade to Chrome 94 Do you ？ Welcome to vote .

Reference link ：

• https://lists.webkit.org/pipermail/webkit-dev/2020-October/031562.html
• https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/453
• https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/22/google_emits_chrome_94_with/