KryptoKit removed from Chrome

[kik1977]

Looks like Goggle has removed KK from every Chrome browser, together with the access to the bitcoins stored there.
Still not clear why, Vitalik says he received from Google a response that it was removed for unspecified TOS violations. If true, it's outrageous that Google did it without any kind of warning, potentially destroying tons of bitcoins.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2608xq/chrome_just_removed_kryptokit/

[justusranvier]

Google is neck and neck with Apple in their belief that they are some kind of techno-aristocracy that own your computer.

It's a common personality trait you'll find among many current and former Google employees.

[joae1975]

They can't "destroy" the bitcoins if the user properly backed up their wallet.  Private keys are stored client side.  However, I did lose 18+ btc due to user error when creating my "dumb" brainwallet.  For that reason alone I don't care that KK is gone.  I do admit it's not directly KK's fault.  But if I didn't use KK, I never would have lost them.  I also never kept anymore btc on it.  So to this day my stolen btc sit here:
https://blockchain.info/address/1FuPkpnH6EjoeRpqUpQh25cjNMM7prEjEN

[Swordsoffreedom]

Looks like Goggle has removed KK from every Chrome browser, together with the access to the bitcoins stored there.
Still not clear why, Vitalik says he received from Google a response that it was removed for unspecified TOS violations. If true, it's outrageous that Google did it without any kind of warning, potentially destroying tons of bitcoins.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2608xq/chrome_just_removed_kryptokit/

That would be awful for the end users who may have lost thousands of dollars because of that mistake
If I recall correctly this is the second time something like this happened because of an Android issue that hid bitcoin wallets a while back
That said its good that they have a series of steps to backup or retrieve your wallet and serves as a reminder to be careful with online wallets and storage.

[C. Bergmann]

Google is neck and neck with Apple in their belief that they are some kind of techno-aristocracy that own your computer.

It's a common personality trait you'll find among many current and former Google employees.

Many people here think google is better than apple cause android doesn't block bitcoin apps. But when I use my android I hate it how google demands in every move to verifcate myself with my google-account. It's really dangerous how google made us dependent on our google-accounts. Too many people in the bitcoin-sphere use gmail and google analytics and google drive and google script to store bitcoin data without thinking about it.

In China there are so many laws that everyone is guilty if the lord wants him to be.
Google has so many ToS (terms of services) that every user and every app is guilty if google wants him to be.

I don't like how that things play out ...

[ArticMine]

Apparently it has been reinstated https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kryptokit-bitcoin-wallet/lhhipingoaiddcoalochnbjlkifbpmoj?hl=en. Nevertheless this should serve as a warning to never allow access to one's BTC to be dependent upon software that can be removed at will by some corporation. Also the GNU/Linux Chromium unlike the Windows / OS X versions of  Chrome does not have the requirement that plugins be approved by Google. So Google only has control in this case with Windows or OS X.

Edit: If one really wants freedom and control over one's computer the first step is to ditch Windows and OS X.

[turvarya]

That reminds me of this thread:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=608339.msg6720481#msg6720481

People just overrate convenience  and underrate security.

[sgk]

I for one would never trust something like a browser extension to store my Bitcoins. While I don't believe each and every tiny app is a scam, I also don't believe in giving control of my private keys to something I don't control.

Let this incident serve as an example of what 'not to do' with your Bitcoins.

[sana8410]

This is what happens when you use a centralized app distributor to distribute an app for a decentralized currency. You create a central point of failure. I hope those people get their bitcoins back, if not, I think a class action lawsuit against Google would certainly be viable for willful destruction of property.

[C. Bergmann]

Many people here think google is better than apple cause android doesn't block bitcoin apps. But when I use my android I hate it how google demands in every move to verifcate myself with my google-account. It's really dangerous how google made us dependent on our google-accounts. Too many people in the bitcoin-sphere use gmail and google analytics and google drive and google script to store bitcoin data without thinking about it.

I realize this is a bit offtopic here, but http://www.cyanogenmod.org/

You can install cyanogenmod without installing the Google spyware garbage afterwards. The obvious downside is that you limit yourself to the free appstore https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/ and apps where you can download the .apk directly (like http://mycelium.com/ btc wallet etc). You can not use the Google Pray Store without having the Google Spyware Services on your device but you can choose not to submit to the Google Surveillance System.

The beauty of Android devices is that you get hardware that mostly allows you to change the software. The spy-ware ridden software bundled with that hardware is not.

If you do not like the Google World Order and/or do not like fascism and total surveillance then you should just replace the software on your Android device(s) and not use any of their services. It really is that simple.

If you do not mind having access to a much more limited number of applications and you like freedom then you should switch to cyanogenmod or similar. It works for me but it may not work for you, this is a very personal choice. Most people are so conditioned by television that they prefer fascism and surveillance so I understand if that is your preference.

Thank you! I will try this soon.

[sgk]

Many people here think google is better than apple cause android doesn't block bitcoin apps. But when I use my android I hate it how google demands in every move to verifcate myself with my google-account. It's really dangerous how google made us dependent on our google-accounts. Too many people in the bitcoin-sphere use gmail and google analytics and google drive and google script to store bitcoin data without thinking about it.

I realize this is a bit offtopic here, but http://www.cyanogenmod.org/

You can install cyanogenmod without installing the Google spyware garbage afterwards. The obvious downside is that you limit yourself to the free appstore https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/ and apps where you can download the .apk directly (like http://mycelium.com/ btc wallet etc). You can not use the Google Pray Store without having the Google Spyware Services on your device but you can choose not to submit to the Google Surveillance System.

The beauty of Android devices is that you get hardware that mostly allows you to change the software. The spy-ware ridden software bundled with that hardware is not.

If you do not like the Google World Order and/or do not like fascism and total surveillance then you should just replace the software on your Android device(s) and not use any of their services. It really is that simple.

If you do not mind having access to a much more limited number of applications and you like freedom then you should switch to cyanogenmod or similar. It works for me but it may not work for you, this is a very personal choice. Most people are so conditioned by television that they prefer fascism and surveillance so I understand if that is your preference.

CyanogenMod is probably the most widely known After Market Android ROM, but I recently came across Carbon, which seems to be a better choice:

https://carbonrom.org/

You can even restrict app permissions