Hello,
Android (does iOS too?) has a simple thing guarantying user's privacy
that the WebApp platform lacks.
The internet permission.
I've been thinking about that for a while and I finally decided to post
after someone shared the same concern on reddit:
http://www.reddit.com/r/FireFoxOS/comments/25fimw/how_can_you_tell_if_firefox_marketplace_apps/
It doesn't only make sense from a user point of view. As a publisher,
preventing my application from using the internet is a simple way to
reassure my users about their privacy.
Of course it's non trivial because the Web platform relies on internet
connectivity, however I believe it's possible and worth talking about it.
As I see it, the internet permission would be required for any usage of:
- PeerConnection
- WebSocket
- XMLHttpRequest
- loading remote resources (<script>, <style>...)
- anything else?
Of course it would only makes sense for privileged apps. An internet
permission would break plain packaged apps.
But how to advert the user an application 'might' use the internet
connectivity?
- The permission could be requested when the user open the plain
packaged application and before the application launches.
-The ability for the publisher/developer to opt-out the internet
permission in which case any internet connectivity related API would fail.
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