Prevent background execution of sites

[RichardMoser]

RichardMoser last edited by

Sites like Facebook installs their scripts to be executed in background without user's consent for it. I can't find how to disable it with the latest Opera Android.

For example, once visited Facebook and closed all Facebook tabs, you'll be getting Opera notifications in Android system bar about every event in your Facebook account (posts, messages, etc...).

Moreover, today I've got such a notification saying something like "Facebook website was updated in background". This is just too much.

How can we forbid certain (too "smart" websites) from executing in background?

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @RichardMoser last edited by

@RichardMoser You can disable notifications in settings page. However, I don't think you can prevent sites from running in background.

[RichardMoser]

RichardMoser last edited by RichardMoser

Yes, we could just disable notifications on per site basis. However, it won't prevent them from silently executing.

Having random JS scripts from visited websites silently executing in the background without a user even knowing about them and not being able to disable it is just crazy.

You could just tap a wrong link, bad site has been opened and silently installed its scripts for background execution and who knows what those scripts would silently do.

Not only those scripts could:

1. affect the whole device performance
2. battery life
3. consume cellular data plan,
   they could just completely compromise user's privacy and security.

I think there must be the following:

1. Whenever a website tries to install a script for the background execution, Opera must ASK the user if they actually permit it.
2. There must be a possibility to view such sites and disable it in any moment after previously permitting such scripts.
3. Isn't it natural to un-install such scripts automatically when user closes the last tab of such the website? (They could visit hundreds swebsites a day. So, we potentially have hundred thousands of background scripts executing silently after a year of Opera usage???)

Can you provide a workaround of how can we un-install already installed background scripts for the moment? Is the only way for that to re-install Opera completely?

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @RichardMoser last edited by

@RichardMoser Scripts are installed but loaded when you visit the site. I have no idea how you can unload them without closing Opera.

[RichardMoser]

RichardMoser @leocg last edited by RichardMoser

@leocg What do you mean by "without closing Opera" (especially on Android which manages app lifetime automatically)?

Nevertheless, please read the issue again. Here is reproduction in a few steps:

1. Visit facebook.com and login to it.
2. Close the tab, kill Opera Android activity according to your Android launcher (I guess this is what you've meant). You could even restart Android device.
3. Weeks after that, you still would get Opera notifications from Facebook even if you've never visited it again.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @RichardMoser last edited by

@RichardMoser Opera has an exit button and thought maybe it would remove all data from memory.

[RichardMoser]

RichardMoser @leocg last edited by RichardMoser

@leocg It doesn't help. The thing is those scripts aren't just in-memory ones; they are registered with Opera permanently once you visit such (who knows, maybe every?) site for the first time.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @RichardMoser last edited by

@RichardMoser Well, this is how web works nowadays.

[leocg]

leocg Moderator Volunteer @RichardMoser last edited by

@RichardMoser Did you try cleaning your browsing data? Or maybe use private mode for those sites?