Home / Technology / Privacy Alert: QR Codes Now Gatekeepers to Websites
Privacy Alert: QR Codes Now Gatekeepers to Websites
11 May
Summary
- New QR code method restricts access for users without Google Play Services.
- This tactic mirrors Google's previously criticized Web Environment Integrity plan.
- Millions of websites now treat privacy phones as risky, causing lockouts.
A concerning new QR code implementation is now restricting access to millions of websites for users who do not have Google Play Services installed.
This method effectively treats privacy-focused mobile phones as risky, leading to users being locked out of services. The approach bears a striking resemblance to Google's abandoned Web Environment Integrity initiative from last year, which also aimed to verify device trustworthiness through software.
That earlier plan encountered widespread criticism from developers and privacy advocates. The current QR code method, however, offers a simpler, yet similarly restrictive, way to achieve a comparable outcome, raising fresh privacy concerns.
