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.

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Honestly, I blame developers who, some years ago, decided it was a good idea to centralize the browsers into the same engine. Yeah, it was hellish to maintain code for all browsers at the time (IE5, IE6, Firefox, Safari, etc), but it was paradise compared to our current scenario: at least we really had options: WebKit, Trident, Gecko, as well as lots of smaller, almost unknown engines. Now, all modern browsers are different wrappings of Chromium or Firefox, while most modern sites are developed without the active worry to keep Firefox compatible (one can notice how modern HTML5 features varies across both of them). It has no easy solution. Don’t update, maybe? (Until sites start to complain about the outdated version)

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

Why does it need to run remotely hosted code though?

Because the ads constantly change across the websites. Adblocking is naturally a cat-and-mouse dynamic. However, the “remotely hosted code” Adblockers use is not exactly “code” (as in a JavaScript code, for example), it’s more a Regex code containing patterns for the different websites and different behaviors (for example, the pattern for the pesky HTML element containing the ad, or the pattern for some ad-serving domain). Google is extrapolating their meaning of “remotely hosted code” purposely, so they can “justify” their measures.

Fair. Pulling rules makes sense. Code wouldn’t. (I wouldn’t consider regex as code.)

Thanks for the details.

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.

This reminds me that Microsoft and Google have been intensely “collaborating” with code for Linux kernel as well… Too good to be true good-hearted actions from those corporations…

Don’t forget stupid DRM bullshit.

https://www.w3.org/TR/2024/WD-encrypted-media-2-20240718/

Editors:
    Joey Parrish (Google Inc.) 
    Greg Freedman (Netflix Inc.) 
Former editors:
    Mark Watson (Netflix Inc.) (Until September 2019) 
    David Dorwin (Google Inc.) (Until September 2017) 
    Jerry Smith (Microsoft Corporation) (Until September 2017) 
    Adrian Bateman (Microsoft Corporation) (Until May 2014) 

This was after Google bought WideVine in 2010.

Melllvar
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Bust this trust.

Lots of firefox mentions, no mention of Vivaldi tho…?

NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ
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Vivaldi, Opera, Safari, Edge. It’s all Chromium.

@dutchkimble@lemy.lol
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Really? I thought Safari wasnt chromium based

NιƙƙιDιɱҽʂ
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Ah, you’re right, apologies, it’s WebKit! Edited my previous comment.

Vivaldi is still chromium-based, which is also getting Manifest V2 support cut. And its default ad blocker sucks, if we’re being honest.

Oh fuck, looks like I gotta switch again…

Google pulls the plug on uBlock Origin

No they don’t. And can’t. It’s not their product.

Headlines these days. Are they all complete lies?

I’ll assume you’re being intentionally obtuse because no one could actually be that dumb.

the big companies, technological or not, always do the same thing… they launch a good product, very cheap (or free). When they already have a big market, they start cutting back. In the case of food, they raise prices, cut products, slightly change the taste… In the case of technology, they raise prices, cut the product, eliminate features…

That a company like Google, dedicated to data, has its own browser and pays to include it as standard in cell phones, it is clear that it is not going to stand still when an addon for its browser blocks part of its business…In this case, very few will switch browsers. That means changing habits. Already did with Google Photos… . Tiene miles de millones de fotos y vídeos de menores, de fiestas, íntimas… Ofrece espacio gratuíto y después, le pagas por ello, porque tienes tu vida ahí… Or with Google Maps. It’s a great service, but it knows where you go, what for, your schedules… a brutal security problem…or with email… it reads everything. Because otherwise it will add you to the calendar when you take a flight without having opened the confirmation email…

I’ve never stopped using Firefox. Google pays it too, but it’s the only one that’s independent. And then there’s Waterfox, Librewolf, PaleMoon… Run away from Google… there are alternatives.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Stop using chrome and move to Firefox, also stop using Windows and more to Linux.

Google is Mozilla’s dad so I’m not sure how long we will be able to use FF with v2.

Even a short-lived chance to cling to Fx is worth something. Hopefully they will team up with others to port the missing parts to v3.

Or the Mullvad browser, Mullvad’s fork of FF with zero adds with help from the Tor project.

Wave
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Librewolf is also good if you prefer flatpaks

Firefox is now owned by ads company. By default there are enabled telemetrics and moreover companies starts to ignore compability of their web services with browser which market share is lower than 2% even goverments stops considering that browser. Mozzila instead of optimization of their browser spend time introduceing features like AI. I was trying to like that browser but mozzila effectively does not allow me. Now btw. I use just vivaldi. I know this is not fully open source.

Were Firefox to go bad, we would use a non-bad fork off Firefox. It’s open source.

They are not independent. It all soft fork. Everything depends on firefox. If firefox die all the forks will die with too.

So you use Chromium…

Rolivers
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deleted by creator

Remember like 2 weeks ago when Google’s very own ad networks were distributing malware?

Pepperidge Farm remembers.

You can get a pass till July 2025 by creating/setting a registry key that they made for businesses.

Paste this in a .reg file and double click it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome]
"ExtensionManifestV2Availability"=dword:00000002

you could instead just download firefox, which isnt perfect either but still a huge improvement over any chromium browser

At this rate people should just cut the cord with google. Modifying reg files is almost as annoying as moving bookmarks over. Firefox + uBlock + pihole (if you’re feeling ambitious/want to block other crap that’s non-browser related) and you’re chillin.

Moving bookmarks takes about 10 seconds to do.

Yea that’s why say, just as annoying. Which I guess for the PC illiterate registry edits are more dangerous?

I personally moved off google about 2 years ago (started using start page as well) and haven’t looked back.

I have no idea what you are talking about but whatever.

Its a good thing I’ve been using Firefox for almost 2 decades then.

Friends don’t let friends run Chrome.

Switched to Firefox in 2023 and it’s wild how much shit just works now.

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.

Couldn’t have said it better.

Screw you Google. Enjoy your antitrust.

Possibly linux
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