German Government Agency Recommends Google Chrome
Recently we’ve been hearing a lot about the negative effects of governments trying to interfere with how the internet works, so a positive story certainly stands out. Google Chrome has been recommended by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security, the BSI, to its citizens in a report on best practice guidelines for cyber security.
Google Chrome responded to the news on their official blog, where they said: “Security has always been a core focus of Chrome, so we’re particularly honored to see several of its security benefits recognized in the report.” Google Chrome published snippets of the report on their blog, which revealed that Chrome was recommended due to its auto-updated bundled Adobe Flash player and its sandbox technology, which according to the report is the browser that is most consistent at implementing the security.
It is interesting that the report states that: “Comparable mechanisms implemented in other browsers are either weaker, or non-existent”, which indicates how Chrome is ahead of its rivals in terms of security online, and will no doubt give users another reason to look to Chrome for browsing security and continue to build on its rapid growth. In 2011, Chrome was the second most popular browser last year, according to a post from The Verge. Internet Explorer was the most dominant browser, but Chrome was consistently growing while Internet Explorer’s grip over the market declined.
However, the fact that Chrome was recommended by a government agency for its security features needs to be viewed alongside the recent announcement of changes to Google’s terms of service and privacy policy, which will see it track users across their different sites. Users looking for a secure web browsing experience may well take Germany’s advice on board, but those troubled by Google’s latest plans include US Congress and data-protection authorities in Europe, and this indicates that Chrome’s plans for web browser victory could be scuppered by those who object to the changes to the policies and opt for another browser.
