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Is this just click bait? I don't know the intricacies of Google's ad serving, but is this not just someone (e.g., an ads customer) slipping a request for camera

by foota 5y ago

Is this just click bait? I don't know the intricacies of Google's ad serving, but is this not just someone (e.g., an ads customer) slipping a request for camera and mic access into an ad script? But the title seems to suggest Google is doing something malicious here.

smt88 5y ago
Why does it matter whether Google did it or Google spread it around the world? It is equally repulsive behavior on their part.
oblak 5y ago
You're right. Google would never compromise anyone to make some money. Never
kadoban 5y ago
Why the _hell_ should a Google ads customer be able to "slip" in a request for camera and mic? That that is even possible is a large problem.
hyperman1 5y ago
Isn't Google supposed to vet whatever ads they send into the world? I don't know if this looks any better if Google is negligent/incompetent instead of malicious.
- dubbelboer 5y ago
  They don't vet anything, anyone can execute any code on tpc.googlesyndicatio.com. See: https://blog.dubbelboer.com/2016/06/10/embed-into-tpc-googlesyndication-com.html https://blog.dubbelboer.com/2016/06/10/embed-into-tpc-google...
CrazyStat 5y ago
Allowing an ads customer to "just" slip a request for camera and mic access into an ad script is malicious.
- ehnto 5y ago
  Negligent, I wouldn't call it malicious but I would call it negligent.
  - CrazyStat 5y ago
    The first time google served malicious JS on behalf of a customer was negligent. Maybe the second and third and fourth and fiftieth times too. It's not 2003 anymore, we're far past negligence at this point.
johncena33 5y ago
Well, it's HN. HN has become a FUD machine.
- dang 5y ago
  "When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. 'That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3' can be shortened to '1 + 1 is 2, not 3." "Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
bogwog 5y ago
> But the title seems to suggest Google is doing something malicious here. Aren’t they? They’re quite literally distributing malware.
authed 5y ago
> Is this just click bait? It is not. It sounds like something that should have been taken care of by Google at least 10 years ago.

by foota 5y ago

smt88 5y ago

Why does it matter whether Google did it or Google spread it around the world? It is equally repulsive behavior on their part.

oblak 5y ago

You're right. Google would never compromise anyone to make some money. Never

kadoban 5y ago

Why the _hell_ should a Google ads customer be able to "slip" in a request for camera and mic? That that is even possible is a large problem.

hyperman1 5y ago

Isn't Google supposed to vet whatever ads they send into the world? I don't know if this looks any better if Google is negligent/incompetent instead of malicious.

dubbelboer 5y ago
They don't vet anything, anyone can execute any code on tpc.googlesyndicatio.com. See: https://blog.dubbelboer.com/2016/06/10/embed-into-tpc-googlesyndication-com.html https://blog.dubbelboer.com/2016/06/10/embed-into-tpc-google...

CrazyStat 5y ago

Allowing an ads customer to "just" slip a request for camera and mic access into an ad script is malicious.

ehnto 5y ago
Negligent, I wouldn't call it malicious but I would call it negligent.
- CrazyStat 5y ago
  The first time google served malicious JS on behalf of a customer was negligent. Maybe the second and third and fourth and fiftieth times too. It's not 2003 anymore, we're far past negligence at this point.

johncena33 5y ago

Well, it's HN. HN has become a FUD machine.

dang 5y ago
"When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names. 'That is idiotic; 1 + 1 is 2, not 3' can be shortened to '1 + 1 is 2, not 3." "Please don't sneer, including at the rest of the community." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

bogwog 5y ago

> But the title seems to suggest Google is doing something malicious here. Aren’t they? They’re quite literally distributing malware.

authed 5y ago

> Is this just click bait? It is not. It sounds like something that should have been taken care of by Google at least 10 years ago.