5 ms·

Frankly I'd be in favor of a piece of regulatory legislation requiring that all software which features an automatic update mechanism be required by law to info

Frankly I'd be in favor of a piece of regulatory legislation requiring that all software which features an automatic update mechanism be required by law to inform their users of a change in ownership and obtain affirmative consent to begin receiving new versions from the new owner.

sneak 7y ago
I don’t think the solution to “sometimes computers get malware” are laws requiring prior restraint on creative expression. Not the smallest hurdle there would be that it’s unconstitutional in the United States.
- Causality1 7y ago
  Changing owners invalidates the EULA agreement, no?
  - usr1106 7y ago
    Have you read one? I wouldn't be suprised if the lawyers have thought about that, and mention current or future owner of... The 3 or so extensions I have installed did not bring up an EULA.
Mirioron 7y ago
This seems like a good idea to me. Maybe have some kind of a clause that this notification has to be easily understood by the user so that it won't be hidden in a wall of text.
TeMPOraL 7y ago
I'd be in favor of a piece of regulation that requires the extension declare its scope of behavior (e.g. "no analytics", or "no data exfiltration"), and then any automatic update that breaks this declaration means the developer is subject to fines and/or imprisonment. Most of the extension problems boil down to either a) malicious developers, and b) developers of popular extensions which take money to include malicious functionality, or sell the extension to a third party.
- seemslegit 7y ago
  Regulation of whom ? The extension vendor registered in Estonia ? Of software vendors in general ? Expect some riders in that bill that you're not gonna like.
  - TeMPOraL 7y ago
    From whoever is responsible for various international agreements around pursuing crimes on the Internet. I'd like to see malware and adware criminalized. But yeah, this isn't going to happen in the real world.
    - 6510 7y ago
      Of course it will happen. The only question is how long it is going to take.
  - 6510 7y ago
    Wherever the platform is registered.
- 6510 7y ago
  I had a funny idea: Lets force all software to do exactly what is required from the product and nothing else.

sneak 7y ago

I don’t think the solution to “sometimes computers get malware” are laws requiring prior restraint on creative expression. Not the smallest hurdle there would be that it’s unconstitutional in the United States.

Causality1 7y ago
Changing owners invalidates the EULA agreement, no?
- usr1106 7y ago
  Have you read one? I wouldn't be suprised if the lawyers have thought about that, and mention current or future owner of... The 3 or so extensions I have installed did not bring up an EULA.

Mirioron 7y ago

This seems like a good idea to me. Maybe have some kind of a clause that this notification has to be easily understood by the user so that it won't be hidden in a wall of text.

TeMPOraL 7y ago

I'd be in favor of a piece of regulation that requires the extension declare its scope of behavior (e.g. "no analytics", or "no data exfiltration"), and then any automatic update that breaks this declaration means the developer is subject to fines and/or imprisonment. Most of the extension problems boil down to either a) malicious developers, and b) developers of popular extensions which take money to include malicious functionality, or sell the extension to a third party.

seemslegit 7y ago
Regulation of whom ? The extension vendor registered in Estonia ? Of software vendors in general ? Expect some riders in that bill that you're not gonna like.
- TeMPOraL 7y ago
  From whoever is responsible for various international agreements around pursuing crimes on the Internet. I'd like to see malware and adware criminalized. But yeah, this isn't going to happen in the real world.
  - 6510 7y ago
    Of course it will happen. The only question is how long it is going to take.
- 6510 7y ago
  Wherever the platform is registered.
6510 7y ago
I had a funny idea: Lets force all software to do exactly what is required from the product and nothing else.