Google plans to phase out user agent strings in Chrome

by Tati Tata

The user agent string sent by the browser when accessing the website is a text that contains the OS and device architecture used, browser information, etc., and affects the display format of the website. Google Chrome , developed by Google based on the open source web browser engine Chromium , has been revealed to have a policy to phase out this user agent string.

Intent to Deprecate and Freeze: The User-Agent string-Google Group
https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/forum/#!msg/blink-dev/-2JIRNMWJ7s/yHe4tQNLCgAJ

Google to phase out user-agent strings in Chrome | ZDNet
https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-to-phase-out-user-agent-strings-in-chrome/

On its official blog on January 14, 2020, the Chrome Development Team announced that it would strengthen its efforts to protect user privacy. Based on a proposal for a privacy sandbox released in August 2019, the development team aims to build a more private ecosystem, such as removing support for third-party cookies in Chrome within two years. That.

Chrome plans to abolish support for third-party cookies within two years-gigazine

by Glenn Carstens-Peters

In recent years, many web browsers, such as Apple's Safari , Brave Software's Brave , and Mozilla's Firefox , have focused on privacy protection and are steadily reducing user tracking used for advertising. Chrome's privacy sandbox is a relatively late-breaking effort, but Chrome's privacy efforts are very important, as 64% of web activity is said to come from Chrome .

Also noteworthy among the privacy protection systems that the Chrome development team is working on is 'gradual elimination of user agent strings'. The user agent string sent when accessing the website has been used to improve the display format etc. of the website, and the website should display properly according to the user agent string I can.

However, some websites only allow access from major web browsers such as Chrome, and if they check the user agent string of a minor web browser, they may deny access. Vivaldi, a Web browser developed by former CEOs of Opera, said that it had to 'fake the user agent string into Chrome' to avoid denying access according to the user agent string.

Why did Vivaldi, a high-performance browser by the former CEO of Opera, have to 'fake the user agent string into Chrome'? -GIGAZINE

by StartupStockPhotos

Furthermore, it has been pointed out that in recent years, user agent strings have been used in browser fingerprints to identify and track website visitors and identify users without cookies. To resolve user tracking issues with user agent strings, the Chrome development team has decided to phase out user agent strings.

Rather than suddenly abolishing user agent strings, Chrome plans to gradually reduce dependence on user agent strings, such as by stopping updating user agent strings. The Chrome development team plans to replace the user agent string with a generic alternative that doesn't reveal much personal information, as a long-term goal. In the future, the website will know that visitors are using Chrome, but will not be able to understand detailed information such as the OS or device model on which Chrome runs.