The <Usermedia> HTML Element
24 points
1 hour ago
| 5 comments
| developer.chrome.com
| HN
phantomathkg
1 hour ago
[-]
Chrome basically is abusing its market position, 69.65% globally, and becomes the new IE. Implementing its own HTML/JS standard.

The sad truth is, some companies will look at Statcounter[0] and say because Firefox does not reach 5% global population and decided not supporting it, actively or passively.

[0]: https://gs.statcounter.com/

reply
sheept
11 minutes ago
[-]
Another reason why this is problematic is that their proposed standards follow Google's priorities for its own products, particularly Google Meet.[0][1]

[0]: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/web-platform/element-captu...

[1]: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/web-platform/document-pict...

reply
zdragnar
41 minutes ago
[-]
This is literally how the standards are meant to work, at least on the JS side. The tc39 process requires at least two live implementations to exist before a spec can move to finished.

In this case, there's also people from Mozilla onboard, so there's no guarantee that it'll remain chrome only or that chrome will keep it if the spec doesn't go anywhere.

In fact, much of the web as we know it evolved this way. We have IE to thank for AJAX, after all.

reply
akersten
55 minutes ago
[-]
Uughh why do we need this whole new html element and not simply make the getUserMedia API allowed to be called more than once if the initiator is a user click?
reply
zamadatix
18 minutes ago
[-]
I'm not all that happy with second chance options in the first place, but a dedicated element with protections on making sure it's clear clicking that particular element is going to second chance it is at least much less likely to get abused.
reply
usr1106
1 hour ago
[-]
Is this Chrome only or something the other browsers are working on, too. A quick web search does not seem to produce any relevant hits.
reply
sheept
18 minutes ago
[-]
At the very least, Firefox's position on the similar <geolocation> element is positive.[0] I would assume their position for other permissions elements would be the same.

[0]: https://github.com/mozilla/standards-positions/issues/1288

reply
asqueella
1 hour ago
[-]
Seems Chrome-only for now. But the spec (Working draft) has an editor from Mozilla as well, so maybe someday... https://w3c.github.io/mediacapture-extensions/#the-usermedia...
reply
felooboolooomba
19 minutes ago
[-]
Anything new I have to block so my ass can't be fingerprinted?
reply
rho138
1 hour ago
[-]
This won’t get abused. /s
reply
saagarjha
1 hour ago
[-]
How do you see it being abused?
reply
unfocso
1 hour ago
[-]
"Press here to view the content", there's already plenty in the wild that grant access to notifications with deceptive buttons.
reply
sheept
23 minutes ago
[-]
The similar <geolocation> element has clickjacking prevention enforced by the browser[0], and even if the website finds a way around it, it still shows the normal permission prompt.[1]

[0]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/HTMLGeoloca...

[1]: https://mdn.github.io/dom-examples/geolocation-element/basic... (requires Chromium)

reply
cwmoore
49 minutes ago
[-]
“targeted and functional controls for accessing camera and microphone streams”
reply