Google Plans Chrome Transition to HTML5 by Default; Changing Flash Behavior

In a move similar to that made by Microsoft last year with its new Edge browser, Google will soon turn off Flash by default in its Chrome browser but have options in the browser itself for permission based access.

Richard Hay, Senior Content Producer

May 16, 2016

2 Min Read
Google Plans Chrome Transition to HTML5 by Default; Changing Flash Behavior

It appears Google is taking their Chrome browser down a very similar path as Microsoft has for their new Edge browser when it comes to Flash usage.

When Microsoft initially released the early preview versions of their Edge browser last year it had Flash turned off by default but the software was integrated into the browser instead of dependent upon a separate install from Adobe.

Under Google's plans for Chrome, called HTML by Default according to a Google Group for Chromium developers posting from last week, they plan to to change the default responses to prompts within the browser when Flash content is encountered.

The end user will get a prompt to enable Flash for that specific domain and that choice will be remembered for future site visits. If a site has already made the shift to HTML5 then that site will of course use that as its default implementation.

Google plans to include 10 websites that are currently in the top 10 list of sites which use Flash, based on Google's own own internal Chrome statistical data, and they include the following:

  1. YouTube.com

  2. Facebook.com

  3. Yahoo.com

  4. VK.com

  5. Live.com

  6. Yandex.ru

  7. OK.ru

  8. Twitch.tv

  9. Amazon.com

  10. Mail.ru

This whitelist of sites will be managed by Google and changes will be considered as usage of Flash on these top sites shifts to other technologies such as HTML5. They plan to expire this whitelist after 12 months following its implementation later this year.

For enterprise users, policy controls will be added so that defaults can be set for their users including completely disabling the new feature.

This is another positive step towards ridding the Internet of Flash and moving onto safer and less intrusive options for rich content display on the web.

But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.

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About the Author(s)

Richard Hay

Senior Content Producer, IT Pro Today (Informa Tech)

I served for 29 plus years in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer in November 2011. My work background in the Navy was telecommunications related so my hobby of computers fit well with what I did for the Navy. I consider myself a tech geek and enjoy most things in that arena.

My first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then I used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and WindowsObserver.com is the result of the work I have done on that site since 1995.

In January 2010 my community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when I received my first Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for the Windows Operating System. Since then I have been renewed as a Microsoft MVP each subsequent year since that initial award. I am also a member of the inaugural group of Windows Insider MVPs which began in 2016.

I previously hosted the Observed Tech PODCAST for 10 years and 317 episodes and now host a new podcast called Faith, Tech, and Space. 

I began contributing to Penton Technology websites in January 2015 and in April 2017 I was hired as the Senior Content Producer for Penton Technology which is now Informa Tech. In that role, I contribute to ITPro Today and cover operating systems, enterprise technology, and productivity.

https://twitter.com/winobs

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