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We all know that protecting our personal data is vital but sometimes, in the rush of a screen-sharing session with colleagues or a presentation to a larger group, those sensitive details can slip through the cracks, especially in form fields. Well, it looks like Google is working on a new feature to help with those accidental overshares in Chrome for Android, which will be nice and all, but I think this feature would make a ton more sense on other versions of Chrome.
As spotted by @Leopeva64, this experimental feature flag in Canary Chrome for Android is designed to automatically block “sensitive form fields” (think credit card numbers, passwords) from popping up in form fields whenever you’re sharing or recording your screen. While not functional yet, the goal is to redact the “entire screen content area” when those sensitive bits are visible, adding a layer of protection.
As noted in the flag, the feature is expected to be compatible with Android V and above, though the exact rollout date and further compatibility are unclear. MSPowerUser has confirmed the flag’s existence in the latest Chrome Canary beta, so the wheels are definitely in motion but it might be a while before it’s officially available.
And while this feature will be helpful on Andoird, I’m hopeful that this functionality eventually makes its way to Chromebooks and desktop Chrome, where screen sharing and screen recording are even more commonplace. I hardly ever share my screen on Android but I have video calls and presentations on my Chromebook all the time.
As of right now, the commits and the flag description make it clear this is for Android only but I will certainly be keeping an eye out for similar flags on desktop Chrome. What are your thoughts? Would you use this feature more on your phone or on your Chromebook/desktop? Let me know in the comments below.
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