Chrome lets you block Sites that access your device’s motion or light Sensors

Google Chrome allows websites to access and use mobile or desktop computer’s motion and light sensors by default and the browser now offers an option in the Settings to let the user block the access to sensors for all websites or per site wise.

Chromium developers added a new entry for Sensors to settings in Chrome browser and is enabled by default in Canary, you can notice this if you visit chrome://settings/content/sensors page.

omnibox indicator access to sensors allowed

Chrome Allows websites to use motion and light sensors

If a site or web app is accessing your device’s light or motion sensors, Chrome shows an indicator in the Omnibox with a message (on hover over) “This page is using motion or light sensors” and lets you allow that site from accessing sensor forever or block it.

chrome sensors content settings

this page is using motion or light sensors

While per-site whitelisting or blocking is possible in desktop, it’s not in android where you can only change permissions for all sites, according to the bug this is intentional.

Chrome Android Site Settings Sensors

For the uninitiated, Chrome already supports Generic Sensor API since version 67. Chromium team targeting this for Chrome 75 and the priority has been set to 1. You’ll find the Sensor menu item on in Page info dialog, content settings, and site settings as well.

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Venkat Eswarlu

Venkat is an independent technology journalist and the founder of Techdows. He has been covering web browsers, Windows, and software news since 2009. His exclusive scoops on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge features have been cited by Forbes, TechCrunch, Wired, CNET, and other major publications.

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