Google Web Store quietly purged of nosy apps

Google's Chrome Web Store has quietly been purged of at least two games after a blogger revealed that the Flash-based browser extensions had unfettered access to all website data, browsing history, and bookmarks stored on users' computers. The removal of Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2 came without explanation …

[Inachu]

What wrong living in a glass house!

A reply by someone in a local govt who had a chat with me when I spoke of internet privacy.

His replies were always such as If you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about!

So what if you live in a glass house. Do you have something you need to hide?

I told him that is not the point and that is where I stopped as he just DID NOT GET IT.

[Chad H.]

The Correct response

Is what happens if it leaks into the wrong hands, like an identiry thief

[James 47]

What do people expect?

Google wants your data. Be it Chrome, Android or your emails, they want to know everything about you, and they bribe you with cool stuff to get it.

[Chad H.]

Err

Does Nintendo know the developer is making money from their trademarks?

Sounds like the chrome store is a Black one.

[leexgx]

i want the old store back

the old chrome store was better as it did tell you what the app requested before it installs the app store that it uses right now press install no question asked it does it (i think it should always ask as it opens it up for exploitation{think that's the correct word} for auto installs)

(side note some systems i have installed chrome on is giving me the old store {that i think is easier to use any way} that does ask when installing add-ons )

[Andy Watt]

When are we going to ask the right questions on this topic?

Google have deflected with the age-old "caveat emptor" but that's simply not good enough any more.

When the public as a whole (not just us paranoid geeks) do not yet have the tech-enlightenment required to understand how some of these mechanisms work, just sticking up a dialog (Vista UAC, android application access permissions dialog, etc etc etc) WILL NOT DO.

This clunky mechanism works for the geeks who created the environment in the first place: unless we ask the question "how do we get Joe Schmoe to understand what this app is asking for?" we will continue to see stuff like this on every platform which can download executable content.

In the meantime, I'll keep wearing the tinfoil hat and say "no" to everything where possible until the tech industry wakes up and interfaces with the average "idiot" properly.