【Candy Apples Archives】

Source：Exquisite Information Network Editor：Digital Culture Time：2025-06-26 00:39:01

We can Candy Apples Archivesall breathe easy now. Google says it will let users of its Chrome web browser opt-out of the controversial automatic login feature that debuted earlier this month.

Chrome had historically let users decide whether they wanted to log into the browser while using it across devices, saving them precious seconds while jumping between various Google services. But in the Chrome 69 update that rolled out earlier this month, the browser automatically signed in people who used sites like Gmail, YouTube, and Google Search.

SEE ALSO: Google Chrome turns 10 with a fresh look, better omnibox, and more

Now, Google promises to do the right thing and give people a chance to opt-out of the automatic sign-in feature. The company says the feature was originally introduced to prevent data from leaking between accounts on shared computers (i.e. Google doesn't want to mix up the cookies on a shared machine used by multiple accounts.)

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

"We want to be clear that this change to sign-in does not mean Chrome sync gets turned on," Google Chrome product manager Zach Koch assured Chrome users in an announcement post. "Users who want data like their browsing history, passwords, and bookmarks available on other devices must take additional action, such as turning on sync."

However, not everyone was convinced. Cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University, Matthew Green, was a vocal critic of the change. He argued in a scathing blog post that there was no justifiable reason for the change — at least from a security perspective.

"Google’s reputation is hard-earned, and it can be easily lost," wrote Green. "Changes like this burn a lot of trust with users. If the change is solving an absolutely critical problem for users, then maybe a loss of trust is worth it. I wish Google could convince me that was the case."

Luckily for Green (and thousands of other concerned users), Google will make it easy to opt-out of the automatic login feature upon the next stable release of the Chrome browser. Until then, if you're truly worried about being tracked, maybe try going back to Firefox.

Featured Video For You

From balloons to satellites, here’s how big tech is battling it out to bring internet to the most remote areas

Topics Google

Previous：Joe Ricketts, Media Destroyer

Next：Tragic Kingdom

【Candy Apples Archives】

Related Articles

Related Recommendations

Categories

Latest Articles

Popular Articles

Hot Recommendations

Featured Column

Quick Links

Quick Links