Google Chrome is downloading a 4 GB Gemini Nano model onto users' machines without consent, with no opt-in, no opt-out short of enterprise tooling, and an automatic re-download every time the user deletes it. The pattern is identical to the Anthropic Claude Desktop case I wrote about last month, but the scale is between two and three orders of magnitude larger. This article does the legal analysis and, for the first time, the environmental analysis. The numbers are not small.
There’s a possibly unsurprisingly high number of these…like my vet’s online booking service. Literally cannot access it without Chrome. Not Chromium. Not Firefox. Not any FF derivatives. Only Google Chrome. It’s frustrating. I used it once because the office was closed, and ever since I call in to book. When they tell me I can book online I tell them that the system doesn’t support my browser of choice, not just my main choice but the top 10…
Unfortunately they’re the best and also closest. I’d rather call to make an appointment and remind them why I don’t use the online portal than be charged for poor care for my cat. Really not a difficult decision for me.
There’s a possibly unsurprisingly high number of these…like my vet’s online booking service. Literally cannot access it without Chrome. Not Chromium. Not Firefox. Not any FF derivatives. Only Google Chrome. It’s frustrating. I used it once because the office was closed, and ever since I call in to book. When they tell me I can book online I tell them that the system doesn’t support my browser of choice, not just my main choice but the top 10…
Change vets and tell them why.
Unfortunately they’re the best and also closest. I’d rather call to make an appointment and remind them why I don’t use the online portal than be charged for poor care for my cat. Really not a difficult decision for me.