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Experiment failed: Google ditched the idea of ​​hiding url in Chrome

Last year, Google began testing a new feature in Chrome 86 that automatically hides portions of a URL to help users avoid phishing and other social engineering attacks. It was assumed that only the domain name would remain in the address bar, and this, according to the idea of ​​the company, should allow people to immediately distinguish real (official) sites from fake ones. However, apparently, such an innovation did not receive a positive response, with the result that the search giant announced the end of the experiment.

In a recent update on the Chromium Bug Tracker support site, it was said that hiding the URL did not improve user security as originally intended. This experiment did not change the current performance for the better, so the launch of a new feature is not planned.

Image source: androidpolice.com

The change has already been implemented in Chrome version 91, which began rolling out to the stable channel late last month. No user action is required, Chrome will show the full URL again and only hide “https: //” by default. By the way, in earlier versions of the browser, URL hiding can be disabled independently by right-clicking on the address bar and selecting the option “Always show URL in full”.

Image source: xda-developers.com

It’s worth noting that Chrome 91 for Android also disabled the ability to revert to the old tab design. The current update is forcing the use of a new grid layout that has not received user approval.

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This article is published in issue 17 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until April 23, 2024. «I don’t think of

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