Chrome’s Manifest V3 and uBlock Origin
A change in Chrome’s extension support — from the Manifest V2 framework to the newer V3 — is being billed as a way to make browser add-ons safer, more efficient, and compliant with modern APIs. But it’s also deprecating features that complex extensions reply upon.
One of those extensions is uBlock Origin, an ad-blocking tool with over 30 million users according to its Chrome Web Store page (and presumably many more users across other browsers).
Martin Brinkmann (Hacker News):
Note: these changes will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Opera, or Vivaldi. Brave is special, as the developers announced that they will continue to support uBlock Origin and several other extensions (but not all).
[…]
There is a way to keep on using the classic extensions for longer. While Google turns off support for home users immediately, it is giving Enterprise customers an option to extend support by one year.
Previously:
- The Four Types of Safari Extension
- FLoC and Manifest V3
- Chrome to Limit Ad Blocking Extensions
- Ghostery Lite
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In completely unrelated news, Zen is an open-source Arc-inspired browser based on Firefox.
https://github.com/zen-browser/desktop
Apparently, it's so popular that its website just went down. I wonder why.
I jumped ship to LibreWolf recently. Chrome is a sinking ship in terms of privacy and control, and now all that's left on my system is ungoogled Chromium for those times I need to test software in a Chromium-based browser. I switched away from Safari too because it's just too limiting, and I no longer trust Apple to do much of anything right, including making stable software or protecting my privacy.
I considered regular Firefox, but many of the decisions and features they've added recently seem to go contrary to their claims of protecting privacy. I'd rather use a browser that doesn't have "sponsored" anything straight from the get-go.
I've never tried Zen, and I think it's interesting that they compare themselves to LibreWolf. I'll admit I'm curious! LibreWolf doesn't make customization easy, though being Firefox-based it is possible. Though they lost a lot of points with me when their website's "We're verifying your browser" bit failed to verify my browser, and refused to serve me their website!
"Though they lost a lot of points with me when their website's "We're verifying your browser" bit failed to verify my browser, and refused to serve me their website!"
That's not them doing it, I think they went over budget and their web host put that up. Seems like they're back online now.
@Plume Alas, they still reject LibreWolf. If I try in a different browser it lets me in.
I know it may not be them in control of that, but that sort of thing drives me crazy and instantly makes me not want to use whatever service, product, or software that they're locking me out of.
I still use Vivaldi on occasion, mostly on mobile, I simply do not use Chrome proper on anything. Most used browsers are Firefox spins, Mull on mobile, Waterfox on PC.
