Moves by Google to boost online privacy for its Chrome browser have come under attackOpens a new window from politicians and industry critics who say the search giant is seeking to centralize control of browsing data.
Comcast, which owns the largest home Internet and television networks in America, quietly made a lobbying presentationOpens a new window to Congress accusing Google of a power grab with the launch of a new privacy tool.
The tool encrypts the record of web sites visited by computer users, and Comcast claimed it will fundamentally change the nature of the Internet and concentrate browsing data into Google’s hands.
The tool is also owned by Mozilla, which after a pressure campaign in Britain offered assurances that it wouldn’t use it there amid fears that regulators would find it harder to crack down on child pornographers. Mozilla didn’t offer similar assurances to US officials.
How the tool works
The privacy tool in question is called “DNS over HTTPS,†or DoH for short.
DNSOpens a new window stands for Domain Name System, which is the telephone directory of the Internet. When users type a name of a website into the address bar, the name is translated into an IP address, a string of numbers, by a DNS directory.
The numbers then are used to locate the server for the web page, which responds in a millisecond by displaying the page on the user’s browser.
But DNS data is not encrypted, and can be tracked by third parties, especially Internet Service Providers like Comcast. They can use it to see which sites users visit and sell the data to advertisers.
Google’s response
In a move to boost privacy after harsh criticism that they have unfairly harvested users’ data. Google’s Chrome browser and Mozilla’s Firefox browser are implementing the tool by default, which will encrypt the DNS data by sending it via a secure protocol known as HTTPS.
The tool was introduced by both organizations without much fanfare. Privacy activists including the Electronic Frontiers Federation praised the move.
But Comcast said in its deposition to Congress, leaked to Vice’s MotherboardOpens a new window news site, that encrypted DNS threatens to give too much power to Google and could disrupt the decentralized web ecosystem.
“The unilateral centralization of DNS raises serious policy issues relating to cybersecurity, privacy, antitrust, national security and law enforcement, network performance and service quality (including 5G) and other areas,†the Comcast document said.
Comcast’s plea: Why the rush?
Congress should demand that Google delay its plans, Comcast said, adding: “Why is Google in such as rush?â€
But some critics favorable to Google’s plans accused Comcast of using the lobbying drive to scare members of Congress into action.
Google said it won’t force people to switch to its DNS services but is simply configuring the Chrome browser to allow users to choose the privacy tool by default.
“Google has no plans to centralize or change people’s DNS providers to Google by default,†a statement said. “Any claim that we are trying to become the centralized encrypted DNS provider is inaccurate.â€
Yet, the company didn’t rule out doing so in the future.
Some critics accused Comcast and other Internet providers of opposing DNS encryption because they’ll no longer have access to data about the sites users visit, which in turn can be sold to advertisers. Comcast insisted it doesn’t sell DNS data.
Balancing privacy and security
Even so, there are concerns that encrypted DNS could create difficulties for cybersecurity companies logging suspicious site activity and for parents who want to keep children away from adult-only material.
The dispute highlights the difficult balance Internet companies must strike between privacy and security.
Unencrypted DNS allows malicious actors to spy on users’ web activity. But it also permits many activities users take for granted, such as blacklisting sites over security concerns and creating parental controls.
One thing is for certain: Encrypting DNS will fundamentally change the nature of the Internet and create winners and losers.