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How can you lobby against a browser feature? It's not like Google or Mozilla were trying to write a new law. Are there laws that browsers MUST adhere to? Beca
by wayneftw 7y ago
How can you lobby against a browser feature?
It's not like Google or Mozilla were trying to write a new law.
Are there laws that browsers MUST adhere to? Because I'm pretty sure I can create a web browser that behaves in any way that I see fit.
- kevingadd 7y agoIf web browsers want to allow playing content from DRM'd services like Netflix, they get tangled up in a bundle of regulations like the DMCA and have to use specific services like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widevine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widevine At a lower level, formats like H264 are basically part of the web platform too, so you end up implementing them and that exposes you to software patent laws. So, in practice: Yes, there are laws browsers must adhere to. If you're willing to strip a bunch of features out of your browser and you live in a country with a less awful legal climate, maybe not too many laws. For a while the US banned export of encryption if you aren't familiar with that - it impacted stuff like web browsers and resulted in people using 56-bit (!) encryption keys for things.
- Darth_Hobo 7y agoIn practice you can host your browser redistributable on non-US server that has no obligation to US laws. And if US user chooses to download from that location there is nothing they can do about it.
- tptacek 7y agoThere were literally just House hearings about the impact of DoH on law enforcement investigations. You lobby against it by trying to get a law passed to ban it.
- schoen 7y agoAre you sure you're not thinking of hearings about some other aspect of encryption? I've been working on the DoH issue, including writing to Congress about it, and I don't recall a hearing having happened yet.
- tedunangst 7y agoPossibly meant the investigation letter. https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-draws-house-antitrust-scrutiny-of-internet-protocol-11569765637 https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-draws-house-antitrust-sc...
- tptacek 7y agoI’m sure. I’ll dig up a link; you can watch it.