Google is bolstering Chrome’s defenses with a suite of new safety features designed to enhance user security while browsing online. The updates, announced in a recent release, focus on shielding users from abusive notifications, reining in site permissions, and scrutinizing extensions.
A key component of the upgrade is an enhanced Safety Check feature, which will now operate continuously in the background to identify and mitigate potential threats. This proactive monitoring system will alert users to its actions, including the removal of permissions from inactive or suspicious sites. It will also flag notifications that may be malicious and notify users of security issues that require attention. Additionally, desktop users will receive warnings about potentially hazardous Chrome extensions.
In another move to bolster user control, Google is introducing time-limited site permissions for Chrome on desktop and Android devices. This feature allows users to grant mic or camera access to a site for a single instance, rather than indefinitely. Sites will be required to request permission anew each time they need access. Furthermore, Google is expanding the one-click unsubscribe feature, currently available on Pixel devices, to a broader range of Android devices, making it easier for users to opt out of unwanted site notifications.
