Google’s strange happenings

If you’re a user of Google Docs, then like us you may have noticed some strange happenings recently.

Perhaps Google has been asking you to log back in even when you thought you were already logged in.

It could be as simple as entering your password just to access that spreadsheet you were playing with only a few moments ago.

Whatever it is, it’s been happening to us too.

From what we can tell, Google has started to check and recheck and recheck again who a user is before they log in. Whether this is part of some new spam protection system (and seeing as our junk mail hasn’t dropped, we don’t think it is) or whether this is Google playing big brother to our safety and security, we don’t quite know.

What we do know is that it’s getting annoying really quickly. Almost to the point that makes Google Docs more like Windows Vista.

You remember what that’s like: requiring you to hit enter or log in every time you wanted to do something, with Microsoft’s User Account Control making sure you take responsibility for your actions.

It’s a pain and we’re getting annoyed every ten seconds when we have to use part of Google.

Here is what we do know:

A couple of weeks ago, an extension was reported that allowed your login details to be stolen using an exploit in Chrome.

While you’d need to be using Google’s Chrome internet browser to fall victim to this, we’re wondering whether the new repeated login requirements are connected to this in any way.

Is this Google being the parent and making sure everyone is completely and utterly safe. After all, why protect users of just one browser when you could protect all?

We’ll be checking with Google to find out what’s going on.