[jkn]

All the data I have seen point to "altruism" [1] more than a war with Microsoft. Consider the list of Project Zero reports where the deadline was exceeded (thanks to brainfog for the URL): https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/list?can=1&q...

[1] Certainly not literally altruism. I suppose Google thinks this projects benefits everybody including themselves.

[jacquesm]

> I suppose Google thinks this projects benefits everybody including themselves.

That's quite possible but once you start releasing unpatched vulnerabilities about competitor products there is at least a chance that 'including themselves' trumps 'everybody'.

It's not like we haven't been here before:

http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/31/13481502/windows-vulnerab...

So, google made a nice little 'hands-off' automatic disclosure feature which gives them a reason to say 'computer did it' but I don't think for an instant 'altruism' of any kind is the reason they do this.

If google really had the well-being of internet users at heart they'd shut down google analytics and stop accumulating profiles.

Until they do that my money is on Google estimating that they will do others more damage than they will do themselves through Project Zero and as such yes, we will all benefit but Google will benefit the most of all.

[dsacco]

That's a false dichotomy, and it's also a very one dimensional take on what altruism means in the context of capitalism. There is a world of nuanced altruism between "has analytics that violate some peoples' privacy expectations" and "totally altruistic."

What's more, their analytics have nothing to do with the point at hand. Why even bring it up, except as an opportunity for a tangential soapbox? We're talking about disclosure timelines.

[jacquesm]

It has a lot to do with the point at hand because you can't really attack Microsoft on their web tracking because they don't do any.

So if Google wanted to attack MS on the subject of privacy they'd have to go all the way to Skype to get some traction. So instead they attack on a front where Google is strong and Microsoft slightly weaker.

Google is anything but altruistic, their each and every move is to improve the bottom line for Google and their shareholders. If something is really altruistic it likely falls in their PR budget.

[aptwebapps]

There are much greater concerns with browser exploits than just privacy unless you're being really literal-minded and saying that someone getting their bank account emptied just had an extreme privacy violation.

[jacquesm]

Scoping browser exploits in competitors products is not 'core business' for Google. Privacy violation is.

[hnbroseph]

> If google really had the well-being of internet users at heart they'd shut down google analytics and stop accumulating profiles.

how would that "help" the well-being of internet users?

[jacquesm]

Because 'privacy' used to be a thing.

[yuhong]

What are your problems with Google Analytics?