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Let it show "Use WebRTC?". If users don't understand, they click whatever. If the website really needs it to operate, it will explain why before requesting, ju

Let it show "Use WebRTC?". If users don't understand, they click whatever. If the website really needs it to operate, it will explain why before requesting, just like apps do now. Always aim for a little more knowledgeable users than you think they are.

afavour 1y ago
That feels pretty useless. You might as well do what happens today: enable it by default and allow knowledgable power users to disable it. If it's disabled, show a message to the user explaining why it's needed.
- deepsun 1y ago
  Today there's no way to disable it, I searched through my Firefox Mobile settings. So I'd say it's for very "power" users. And why enable it by default, why not disable by default? Also, sibling comments say iOS is already asking for the permission, why not just copy it?
  - n2h4 1y ago
    it does exist in `about:config`, which could be made as a UI setting instead: `media.peerconnectin.enabled`. on cromite[1], a hardened chromium fork, there is such a setting, both in the settings page, as well as when you click on the lock icon in the address bar. [1]: https://cromite.org https://cromite.org
    - _Algernon_ 1y ago
      IIRC the standard mobile firefox version no longer makes about:config available. You need to be on a beta or nightly build to access it.
      - cyberax 1y ago
        It is still enabled, just a bit hidden: chrome://geckoview/content/config.xhtml
      - Oxodao 1y ago
        Why are they CONSISTENTLY make Firefox worse? I really want to love it, and I use it because its basically the only choice but ffs
- selcuka 1y ago
  Why not? How is this different than, say, location access, or microphone access? I want to be able to configure this per web site, and a permission prompt is a better interface than having an allow/deny list hidden in settings.
  - afavour 1y ago
    Because users understand what “microphone access” entails. “Use WebRTC?” means nothing to the average user.
    - selcuka 1y ago
      Fair point, but "cookies" didn't mean anything to the average user either, and "cookie consent" banners are the norm now.
      - Vinnl 1y ago
        I think very few people would argue that cookie consent banners in the form in which they are the norm are a good thing just like permission prompts for microphone access are.
    - mrguyorama 1y ago
      Mobile apps require location permissions to use Bluetooth right now, even though that's a hard to understand situation for average people. If a feature can be used to track people, you have to flag it off or else you are just contributing to the tech Big Brother apparatus.
btown 1y ago
And specifically, if you're on something-sensitive.com in a private browsing session, it would give you the choice of giving no optional permissions. That choice is better than no choice at all, especially in a world where Meta can be subpoenaed for this tracking data by actors who may be acting unconstitutionally without sufficient oversight.

afavour 1y ago

That feels pretty useless. You might as well do what happens today: enable it by default and allow knowledgable power users to disable it. If it's disabled, show a message to the user explaining why it's needed.

deepsun 1y ago
Today there's no way to disable it, I searched through my Firefox Mobile settings. So I'd say it's for very "power" users. And why enable it by default, why not disable by default? Also, sibling comments say iOS is already asking for the permission, why not just copy it?
- n2h4 1y ago
  it does exist in `about:config`, which could be made as a UI setting instead: `media.peerconnectin.enabled`. on cromite[1], a hardened chromium fork, there is such a setting, both in the settings page, as well as when you click on the lock icon in the address bar. [1]: https://cromite.org https://cromite.org
  - _Algernon_ 1y ago
    IIRC the standard mobile firefox version no longer makes about:config available. You need to be on a beta or nightly build to access it.
    - cyberax 1y ago
      It is still enabled, just a bit hidden: chrome://geckoview/content/config.xhtml
    - Oxodao 1y ago
      Why are they CONSISTENTLY make Firefox worse? I really want to love it, and I use it because its basically the only choice but ffs
selcuka 1y ago
Why not? How is this different than, say, location access, or microphone access? I want to be able to configure this per web site, and a permission prompt is a better interface than having an allow/deny list hidden in settings.
- afavour 1y ago
  Because users understand what “microphone access” entails. “Use WebRTC?” means nothing to the average user.
  - selcuka 1y ago
    Fair point, but "cookies" didn't mean anything to the average user either, and "cookie consent" banners are the norm now.
    - Vinnl 1y ago
      I think very few people would argue that cookie consent banners in the form in which they are the norm are a good thing just like permission prompts for microphone access are.
  - mrguyorama 1y ago
    Mobile apps require location permissions to use Bluetooth right now, even though that's a hard to understand situation for average people. If a feature can be used to track people, you have to flag it off or else you are just contributing to the tech Big Brother apparatus.

btown 1y ago

And specifically, if you're on something-sensitive.com in a private browsing session, it would give you the choice of giving no optional permissions. That choice is better than no choice at all, especially in a world where Meta can be subpoenaed for this tracking data by actors who may be acting unconstitutionally without sufficient oversight.