What’s the Controversial Keyboard MAP API in Chrome 97 and Why It Raises Privacy Concerns?
Chrome 97 adds the controversial Keyboard MAP API, enabling web apps to detect users’ keyboard layouts for better input handling, but raising privacy concerns as Apple, Mozilla and Brave criticize its potential for tracking, while Google cites improved user experience.
Chrome 97 introduces Keyboard MAP API
After Chrome 94 added the idle detection API, Chrome 97 brings a controversial Keyboard MAP API that allows web apps to obtain the user's keyboard layout.
The API was previously unavailable in iframes, preventing applications like web‑based Office from using it.
How the API works
Using getLayoutMap(), developers can map physical keys to characters for different layouts (e.g., German QWERTZ, Spanish ñ). This enables more accurate identification of users with uncommon or non‑default keyboard layouts.
Privacy concerns
Apple, Mozilla and Brave have voiced objections, arguing the API can be used to track users. Apple’s WebKit team called it unacceptable from a privacy standpoint. Brave implements the API but offers no user‑visible features. Mozilla placed it on its “harmful API” list and will not adopt it in Firefox.
Google’s rationale is that the API helps developers improve user experience, but the ownership of the API is listed as Microsoft.
Chrome 97 also includes other changes such as site data deletion, better HDR support for CSS, and improved mobile scaling.
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