[gpmcadam]

Wouldn't this be easily resolved by giving the user the option upon visiting the site: "This website would like your permission to play audio. You can revoke this at any time."

Similar to how storing files or sending push notifications works?

[7Z7]

Those are both already horrible UXs that are abused in the same way the "subscribe to our newsletter" is. I won't ever do any of those three for 99.9% of websites I visit, and yet 70% are requesting it.

They've become user-hostile ways to give websites a way to force interaction from me that I don't ever want, and if I did I could chose the option in the account preferences (if I cared enough to make one).

[gpmcadam]

The way that browsers typically handle this though is that your interaction isn't blocked by the prompt. There's a default state ('disallow'), the website can ask you for permission, and you can choose to either:

  1. Allow  
  2. Deny  
  3. Do nothing at all

The website then must take all three into consideration so your experience isn't ruined as a result of a blocking-state.

I agree that the permissions system isn't ideal, and I would hope that the way we handle this interchange in the future can improve to a point where it's less invasive in terms of screen space. But at least for now, it shouldn't invade your ability to continue using the site.

[7Z7]

Its not about being blocked from continuing, it's about having to answer questions (or click away the dialogues) to peruse content.

And the "subscribe to our newsletter" overlay often does block progress without hunting for the often obfuscated "no thanks" link.