Google ramps up its campaign against ad blockers on Chrome.

Google’s campaign against ad blockers across its services just got more aggressive. According to a report by PC World, the company has made some alterations to its extension support on Google Chrome.

Google Chrome recently changed its extension support from the Manifest V2 framework to the new Manifest V3 framework. The browser policy changes will impact one of the most popular adblockers (arguably), uBlock Origin.

The transition to the Manifest V3 framework means extensions like uBlock Origin can’t use remotely hosted code. According to Google, it “presents security risks by allowing unreviewed code to be executed in extensions.” The new policy changes will only allow an extension to execute JavaScript as part of its package.

Over 30 million Google Chrome users use uBlock Origin, but the tool will be automatically disabled soon via an update. Google will let users enable the feature via the settings for a limited period before it’s completely scrapped. From this point, users will be forced to switch to another browser or choose another ad blocker.

Archive link

  • Nora@lemmy.ml
    0·
    6 months ago

    And thus, this day will be remembered as the great browser migration.

    • Dudewitbow@lemmy.zip
      0·
      6 months ago

      all chromium browsers are affected, so if a chromium browser wants to support manifest v2, they have to manually maintain it separately from the main chromium build. whether individual companies will do so ofc is tbd. braves built in browser probably not affe ted

    • TheNickOfTime@fedia.io
      0·
      6 months ago

      Sadly yes. Almost all, if not all derivates are affected since they inherit the codebase from it. Unless they implement manual Manifest v2 patches + have their own extension store they manage

      • dev_null@lemmy.ml
        0·
        6 months ago

        Vivaldi said they will keep V2 support. Not forever, but as long as they are able.

          • TheNickOfTime@fedia.io
            0·
            6 months ago

            Not for everyone. For me it’s unusable since I rely on stuff ff never implemented (using bluetooth from a web page to configure some of my home appliances, grab api keys for them, stuff like that). Also I’m not too thrilled that it laks any kind of official PWA or Chromecast support. Not to mention they still have some ugly bugs when rendering some gradients.

            And besides this, I used to love everything Mozilla did, but at one point I grew to hate how they left ff to stagnate which made me switch.

            I still reconsider it from time to time, but I always get disappointed by how little things have changed and how much even more things seem to be missing/buggy since the last time.

          • dev_null@lemmy.ml
            0·
            6 months ago

            I’m not saying what’s “the correct play” or not, I’m refuting the claim all Chromium-based browsers are immediately affected, because I know of at least one that will keep V2 support.

            But I will keep using Vivaldi. It will take me the same time to migrate to Firefox regardless if I do it today or a year from now when Vivaldi drops V2 support. I have nothing to gain by migrating sooner, but potentially much to gain by waiting.

            • Vivaldi might decide to keep support indefinitely,
            • Vivaldi might decide to update the built-in ad blocker to use UBlock Origin tech,
            • Google might backtrack the decision (hah!),
            • a whole different browser I want to try might come out in the meantime and I’d have to migrate twice,
            • Firefox might die after losing Google funding due to the monopoly ruling.
            • I will build a new PC in a year and it will be a good time for a software refresh,
            • Or, the most likely, none of this will happen, and I will migrate to Firefox then, if that’s the best move at the time.
  • Modva@lemmy.world
    0·
    6 months ago

    Moved to Firefox some months ago, it’s fine. Small adjustment but browsers generally offer high interchangeability

  • x00z@lemmy.world
    0·
    6 months ago

    The title should be “Google pulls plug out of Chromium”

    Too bad that even when people start switching, people writing drafts for the W3 spec are mostly Google employees. I’m sure that’ll be their next battleground.

      • feoh@lemmy.ml
        0·
        6 months ago

        Totally agree. Many people who keep using Chrome have a VERY outdated view of what Firefox can do. That’s a shame, but it’s unfortunately an aspect of human nature that negative impressions are SUPER hard to change.

  • jsomae@lemmy.ml
    0·
    6 months ago

    This is the perfect time to go aggressive on telling your friends to switch to Firefox

    • The Cuuuuube@beehaw.orgEnglish
      0·
      6 months ago

      Using the internet without an adblocker is genuinely dangerous. Everyone really should be using uBlock Origin. Using a web browser that prevents uBlock Origin puts you in danger

  • Aussiemandeus@aussie.zone
    0·
    6 months ago

    I’m not sure if it’s related, but I’ve been getting popups that prevent navigation away from pages on the Google Android browsers

  • chalupapocalypse@lemmy.world
    0·
    6 months ago

    Does this affect edge as well? Pushing out ublock via policy to both edge and chrome has saved me a lot of headaches at work, this is gonna be a pain in the dick.