[SOON] Google Chrome to Block Adobe Flash

Well, BBC **still** doesn't play, though it DID and a couple of FireFox addons to (ah-hem) "Make it play safer" and (paraphrase) 'not pick up any bad guys on the web', yeah right. So, until I get BBC to switch I'm pretty much stuck with it until they decide to switch. And this is about as likely to happen as for man to make weapons out of iron as rock - To move that old stodgy "Bush,, whooops they've moved", "Broadcast House" (Though 'Bush House' sound so much more primitive and cool) change first we need to find some iron first. Sometimes I HATE the BBC, since last time you wrote they've added a McAfee 'safe web' something and an Adobe something to make the web 'as safe as possible' (as safe as possible using outdated technology until they can't put off buying new licenses for new programs, sigh - that's the problem of left over World Colonial Empires, and perhaps when seen in the grad scheme of things, just a TINY few of the problems). SCREAM! I'd boycott them only there are men, women, and girls who rely upon them for the BBC for the Literal safety of their lives. THAT is hard to argue against. So they are the only ones allowed to play it. sigh.........

Sounds like Google wants more control over what is on the internet.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Not sure why you'd say that. Neither Flash nor the newer tech (HTML5) have any connection to Google.

I can't help but sense that Google doesn't want us using a free product. I'm sure they will have a pay-for product real soon!

I tried Google Chrome, had a couple nice add-ons I liked. One day I started Chrome to a message the add-ons had been removed because they hadn't come from the Play Store. Well, the Play Store didn't have those add-ons, so I uninstalled Chrome.

#controlfreaks

I got rid of Flash long ago. I have absolutely no problems using YouTube, etc. I do run into situations where I get a message to download Flash but ignore it. I sent "the big boss" of a local news site a suggestion that he use HTML5 instead. So far, I've had no response from him. His loss, not mine. I'd rather do without and have a tad more secure environment. I use both IE and Chrome. Flash won't ever be on this computer again as long as long as I have anything to say about it.

Flash is used in so many video sites it would be a great loss if terminated before a replacement is available.
With anti-virus and malware programs on my Windows 7 computer, I have never had an attack that was not blocked before any damage was incurred. Seems like a decision to kill Flash without an alternative player is a step backwards in technology and a hasty decision.

I uninstalled Flash player some months back on advice of a techie friend. One day I reinstalled it just to view a card someone sent me but took it back off. I'm a Firefox/Win 7 user--don't notice many videos that won't play but I'm not into games (of any kind). I don't like Google for anything--I use DuckDuckGo -- much better search results. And I uninstalled Chrome that I used as a backup because it seemed to be installing junk on my computer. Thanks for all your good advice, Bob.

Please, for the love of God, don't use Internet Explorer anymore! There's a reason that M$ dropped it in Win 10...it's crap! Use Chrome, Chromium, Firefox or Opera instead.

As far as Adobe Flash Player, I agree with Bob. I would also add that those who watch videos over the web may require Flash to do so, I'd contact the companies like YouTube or FoxNews.com and tell them that as a consumer of their content, you want SAFE content which Flash is not and that they need to modernize their systems to comply with current security standards including using HTML5 for video/audio.

I guess I am not to smart. I read all your news letters and feel you have helped me a lot but I don't understand why some can watch videos and some can't. Please explain.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I never said some people can watch videos and others can't. I'm simply advising people to disable Flash in their browser, because it opens a door for malware to enter. If you have a site that requires Flash and you can't live without it, you have to accept the risk.

To Keith A Lindsay, Win 10 did not have IE, it sure does. I got rid of that Edge browser and got IE 11 working w/FF 46.0.1.

As to flash, I allow on single cases and have it remember on some too. The HTML5 videos are horrendous that one website offered me, looked like very early Youtube videos.

The iPhone had just come out and we were both excited with the shiny new tech in our pocket and purse... until my wife discovered that many of our favorite sites were NOT viewable. She was more than ready to return hers, pronto!

At that time, a good alternative wasn't in place, so it was hard to do without. But along with many other longtime computer programmers and troubleshooters, I agreed with Apple's early refusal to support the problematic Flash player. It was the correct (but painful) choice. Even today, much improvement is needed and certainly overdue. R.I.P. Flash player. We knew you well, but your day has long-passed.

What safe options are available for playing videos?

You are still avoiding all the requests to suggest a viable alternative for all the essential things which still require Flash. Windows itself, and the entire internet, is compromised daily. Should we kill Windows or the entire internet, then? Please propose a viable alternative before parroting overhasty actions.

EDITOR'S NOTE: From the user perspective, there is no alternative. If a website contains Flash content, you will need to decide if the risk is worth the reward. Websites that use Flash are becoming fewer, as more and more convert their content to HTML5.

A lot of you people are missing the point, FLASH IS BUGGY AND SHOULDN'T BE USED. HTML5 is the way to go for web sites and it works with all browsers that I know of and you don't have to pay a thing for it, and Google has nothing to do with it as far as I know.

I use Firefox and Chrome as back up and for some sites where Fox doesn't display correctly grocery shopping mostly it fast, I've got 64 bit Fox now and used it 32 bit and now 64 forever so not easy to wean off :)
Flash hasn't caused me angst ever. Need it for most places for videos. See no alternative.
I'm sticking with Window 7 too seems far too much of this "take away their choice" for my liking. We're adults not kids or is it simply Big Brother? Left is trying hard so go Mr Trump.

As I read thru these comments, my eyes are drawn to a gray bar at the top of the screen that asks, "Allow http://askbobranken.com to run "Adobe Flash"? I am quite sure that that message is from my browser. (FF now, but I have Chrome and am using both. Both seem to hog resources and are less than quick on occasion.) But if the message is from my browser, does it imply that Flash is used on this site with the TRASH FLASH message for the Bob Faithful?

EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't have any Flash videos hosted on my site. Perhaps one of the sponsor ads is using Flash. That's not something I can control, sorry. If you refresh the page, it will probably go away.

We had someone make the mistake at work to remove/disable Flash after you last warning. Then we found out that Google Drive documents would no longer print, but only gave us a screen graphic and printout of the puzzle piece. And this was Google itself on Googles Chrome browser... We eventually saved our business (we depend on Google Drive for almost everything) by reinstalling Flash, resetting the browsers back to what they were before, and doing some odd tweaking where necessary (or at least our IT guy did). Odd that it seems that Google itself seems to depend on Flash for it's own stuff to work... Hope they come up with a working alternative.

PS right clicking on the puzzle pieces did NOTHING. A reinstall was apparently necessary.

I have all my browsers set up where, if I need Flash to play a video (or whatever Flash needs to do)I get asked (Click If You Want Flash) and I use it - once. The next time I need to use Flash to do anything, I get asked, again. This might not be secure, but it's working for me.

I've got to add I don't use Chrome much. Just for Gmail.

Bye Bye Flash! I'm glad Google is getting rid of it! It's nothing but trouble for me. I use Yahoo and Amazon, but will be happy when they stop using Flash.