xdracco wrote:
I think a bit of both. As mentioned, to me, "Local Network" has meaning, for example, a 192.168.x.x network, would be local to me and only me (while contained to my own network).
When a browser asks for that permission, the message I get is the browser needs access to my 192.168.x.x network for reasons unknown.
I don't believe browsers are being malicious in any way, just a required permission to access the internet.
How many non-browser 3rd party apps do you have installed? How many contact the internet? How many are listed in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network?
It's not that browsers are being malicious per se. It's just how the modern world works. Google's business is government and 3rd party intelligence. To do that, it needs to see all of your activity, globally and locally. Everyone knows that, so it's expected that Google has this kind of access. It's kind of like a modern droit du seigneur.
But Apple's not Google. Apple's just a village electronics merchant that struck it rich one day. All the world is trying to hack Apple. Google literally setup an entire business division dedicated to hacking Apple products and service - all in the name end user security, of course.
This means that Apple has to go to crazy levels of privacy and security extremes that no other company is subject to. Even the most convoluted Apple hack requiring a team of PhD security experts will make headlines. Yeah, so the hack was paid for by US and EU intelligence agencies. But that's not important because it demonstrates that China could do it too. And that's true. It's especially true after the exploit gets published. 😄
