- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.ca
- cross-posted to:
- privacy@lemmy.ca
If you shop on AliExpress and your Bluetooth headphones stop switching between devices, this is caused by hidden tracking scripts on the site, not broken hardware. Install uBlock Origin and add filter rules to block collina.js and fireyejs.js on aliexpress.com, then close all open AliExpress tabs and reload the site for the fix to take effect.
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AliExpress users report a privacy-invasive tracking mechanism on the company’s homepage that interferes with Bluetooth hardware. The site runs hidden audio processes that prevent multipoint headphones from switching between devices. This behavior occurs even when the tab is idle and no media is visible to the user. The issue is caused by Alibaba’s security scripts designed for device identification and anti-fraud detection.
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Modern browsers are a mistake, aye?
Meh, it’s not just or even especially the browsers.
First of all, AliExpress did a thing here, not your browser.
And if your browser didn’t have the capability to basically work as a small multimedia machine inside your machine then they’d find other ways to achieve similar things.
Unless of course your OS setup makes such things impossible, as any sane OS should.
Microphone access to any app, any site, without asking? That’s madness.
The browser allows it. It could put up a notification “allow access to speakers”. It should do so with the mic.
I once tried a website that shows much web browsers reveal about you and your system… it’s crazy how much his activated by default.
Which website?
I can’t remember. Someone shared one here on the fediverse and I didn’t bookmark it. There are alternatives:
Try it on your desktop and on your mobile.
Thank you!
Once again, it depends on the browser and the OS, which ultimately governs the hardware.
90+% use chrome, so guess what the browser knows about you…