Anyone else noticed that you can't take screenshots on Android when using Chrome Incognito mode? "Can't take screenshot due to security policy". I don't understand the rationale behind it. Why can't I take a screenshot of my own phone?
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Relevant crbug: https://crbug.com/985245
If you use Chrome Canary you can now enable a feature flag under this URL:
chrome://flags#incognito-screenshot
Both Chrome and Firefox disable screenshots in private mode. I assume that this helps defend against 3rd-party programs running in the background that might save screenshots unbeknowst of the user.
Are third party programs allowed to save screenshots unbeknown to the user in the first place??
In older Androids it was too easy for the app to get the permission to capture/record the screen without clear user consent. In newer Androids you need to ask permission at runtime.
So Chrome and Firefox should check if they're on a new or old Android.
It's only a part of the issue. The other part is that a "launcher" app shows miniatures of apps when you scroll through open apps, and this behavior is controlled by the same screen capturing permission. When you enable screenshots, you also enable previews in the launcher app when switching between apps, in some cases it might be not desirable.
There's probably some more nuances that I'm not aware of.
If the user gave it the permission too when they installed it yes.
It's to stop a preview from showing up in the recents screen. Try loading a page in incognito mode and then pressing the overview button. Notice that you just see a grey square instead of the page you loaded.
Why would app preview be conflated with whether the user can take a screenshot? Can't those be two separate options?
They should be but on android, it's bot handled by the same setting.
So as an app developer I can either set the `FLAG_SECURE` to hide both or I need to create own workarounds like navigating to the root view element and setting it to invisible whenever the app is paused just to hide it from the recent apps.
Maybe "Incognito mode doesn't persist any information" vs "Incognito mode doesn't silently persist any information"?
The latter has more opportunity for confusion. Just a guess, I don't know what the rationale is.
Personally I appreciate it, because for some odd reason my phone manufacturer placed the screenshot button combo in a weird location that I naturally grab when switching from vertical to horizontal, and so I'm always taking accidental screenshots. And if I'm doing something worth being in incognito for, I don't want any accidental screenshots, especially being backed up on Google photos.
Though it would probably be nice if it asked you to confirm with a thumbprint, thereby allowing you to bypass the security.
That is what is so nuts about this comment thread. People assume this is some illogical or nefarious decision by Google. Usually, these things are privacy related, or to prevent nefarious apps from capturing data without your permission.
Perhaps "Screen capture" should be in the permissions API instead of blocking it...
But for all the people complaining here, is there a legitimate app with this function that you use on a daily basis?
Signal and most banking apps have it.
The feature isn’t literally supposed to prevent you from recording the screen, but it’s enough of an annoyance/deterrent that people don’t. The goal is to prevent people from having sensitive information sitting in their camera roll by accident and send a unambiguous signal to the user that you shouldn’t be screenshoting it.
It’s the same feature Gmail enterprise offers that “blocks downloading and forwarding.” Like of course literally it doesn’t and can’t possibly prevent someone motivated but it drastically reduces the chance of someone leaking confidential information when they have to go through a bunch of kludgy steps.
I can understand the rationale somewhat, but annoying since I often use it for testing during work and it makes it hard to screenshot bugs.
Another pet-peeve is banking apps doing the same. I understand they don't want stuff to show up in the app switcher and stuff, but it's annoying when I have to screenshot some expense or numbers to send to others.
Because we are in the age of treating the user as the untrusted party. I have noticed some instant messaging apps (telegram) use this feature.
To prevent accidental screenshots of you watching porn?
Since when does Google allow you to watch porn?
They do everything to fight it. You can't even install legit porn apps without manually downloading the apk. And then it only works on your phone and tablet, not the TV where it would actually be desired to work.
Also what right does Google have to tell me what I can and can't watch on my TV/device?
>They do everything to fight it.
Not hosting something on their store doesn't mean they're trying to fight it. You're free to install whatever app you want outside of their store. Or just use the browser like everybody else.
> Since when does Google allow you to watch porn?
Porn is not allowed in the app store. They cannot regulate porn videos (child porn might slip through) and the headline next day would be ''Google allows child porn apps on the play store''
Huhh? I mean, I wouldn't trust any porn site with app permissions, but how does that logic even make sense? The inevitable conclusion would be that Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available.
> Chrome should be banned as well, since I'm sure there's some sketchy corner of the internet with that crap available.
Do you know the difference between a open browser and a app store meant to distribute apps?
Chrome is not responsible for the website's content. But the app store will be help responsible for an app's content.
Maybe I'm obtuse, but I don't really see the difference between downloading Firefox from the play store or downloading a porn app. In either case, I downloaded an app from Google's servers that allows me to view objectionable content.
If the objection is that Google doesn't want to provide an app that can be used to access illegal content, then why provide a browser? I would think that there is less of a chance of finding child porn on a major porn site app than what would be avaliable via a browser.
The only difference I can think of is that a browser has other functionality besides adult content.
> I don't really see the difference between downloading Firefox from the play store or downloading a porn app. In either case, I downloaded an app from Google's servers that allows me to view objectionable content.
Congratulations. You may see it like that, not many others will.
> The only difference I can think of is that a browser has other functionality besides adult content.
Yes. Same reason why the reddit app exists in the play store. There is some other content other than porn on reddit.
I would think rather the difference is that it allows the Play Store itself not to contain any apps that market themselves as being about porn. Sure, you can use them for that purpose, but someone searching the Play Store will not be able to get to a store page that is pornographic or explicitly intended for pornography.
I'm sure you are aware that Chrome doesn't host the internet and didn't think this through.
iOS too. Porn apps are expressly forbidden.
I've long noted this.
Seems to affect both Incognito and standard mode.
The screenshot disabling is an absolutely massive strike against Android and Google.
It works just fine in standard mode.
My experience says otherwise, but thanks.