Google will be blocking Chrome inline installations as of this week, the company announced on Tuesday.
The inline installation API allows Chrome users to sideload extensions from third-party websites.
According to Google, users are less likely to uninstall an add-on if they found it on the Chrome Web Store.
Moreover, the company says the descriptions and feature lists that accompany extensions on the Chrome Web Store help users make informed decisions about what to add to their browser. In short, it’s all about protecting users from installing extensions that negatively affect their browsing experience.
To that end, as of June 12th, 2018, users can no longer sideload newly published extensions. On September 12th, 2018, Google will block sideloading within existing extensions. Lastly, when Chrome 71 lands toward the end of the year, the API that allows for inline installations will no longer exist in Chrome.
“We’re proud of the choices the Chrome Web Store provides users in enhancing their browsing experience,” said James Wagner, extensions platform product manager at Google, in a June 12th, 2018 Chromium Blog post.
“At the same time, it’s crucial that users have robust information about extensions prior to installation, so that they fully understand how their browsing experience will be impacted. We’re confident this change will improve transparency for all users about their extension choices in Chrome.”
Source: Google
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