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Comment by ape4 | Hacker News Reader

Is it just checking the user agent?

Yeah... I've seen this before. It was a company called Microsoft with a browser named Internet Expolrer 6 and it caused a decade of browser wars.

Vivaldi found out they are being targeted by Google, see: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21758814

> simply changing the browser user agent in an ‘excluded’ browser to that of a supported one, like Firefox, instantly lifts the bar and lets the app/service/site to load.

> Where, surprise, surprise, it works fine without any major issues.

> You are trying to sign in with a browser or app that doesn't allow us to keep your account secure.

Sounds like it's not just a question of whether the page renders correctly?

Google almost seems like they are trying to be Microsoft number 2. They can't stop themselves from being overly competitive. I predict they will get hit with a serious us govt case that causes them to allow more competition, just like Microsoft in the next 5 years. Blocking ad blockers, controlling Android, banning unions, it's sad to see them coming to this.

Unlike Microsoft of the 90s, Google knows everything our lawmakers do online. Every sordid search, the location and participants in every late-night tryst. Pretty much anything that could embarrass or bring down anyone who might oppose them is available to them through our phones, browsers, and search histories. I think we are a long way away from any serious repercussions for Google's actions.

/tinfoil hat off

If there’s been one positive development in politics in the last few years it’s the disappearance of the sex-scandal.

Sure, anything too extreme, funny, or illegal would still be problematic. But someone’s run-of-the-mill pornhub playlist is unlikely to make much of a difference, even on the Republican side. The reputable (and influential) media wouldn’t even report it.

This is exactly the concern many have with anyone having the keys to to many silos of data.

Well, "works fine." I'd suspect the issue is more Google is aware of ways an attacker can spoof someone into logging into their Google accounts in a context where those UAs leak credentials. The issue night be it works fine for the user and also the hacker or phisher who just got valid auth tokens.

Which is nothing new for Google; they’ve blocked valid browsers from accessing content all the time. I remember using Inbox in Safari for about a year before they didn’t make me play tricks with my User Agent.

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