Your browser has been busy on your behalf. This week brought two reminders that Chrome can put things on your machine you never agreed to. One came from Google. One came from an impostor. Both used the same quiet machinery.
Chrome runs on billions of devices, which makes it one of the most powerful pieces of software on Earth. It also makes it a tempting place to slip something in. Two stories from the past few days show the consent problem from both ends.
Google’s 4GB houseguest
Since at least April, Chrome has been quietly downloading Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device AI model, onto eligible laptops and desktops. The file is about 4GB. It arrives with no prompt, no notification, and no obvious off switch, CNET reported. Delete it, and Chrome fetches it again.
The model powers on-device features such as scam detection and writing help. The catch is that most people never asked for it and never knew it landed.
