Chrome Update to Kill Many Addons, including Blockers
Almost one in six Chrome extensions could stop working this summer thanks to a major Google update. They include one of the most prominent ad-blocking tools.
An extension is a third party tool that integrates with Chrome to improve the user's experience when accessing websites. They can include tools as diverse as password managers, page translators and video downloaders, though ad blockers are perhaps the best known.
Extensions are able to integrate with Chrome and access its data thanks for a platform called Manifest. Google has developed a Version 3 of Manifest and is phasing out support for the existing Version 2 this summer. Once that's complete, extensions which don't work with Version 3 will simply stop working.
Google argues the update is necessary to improve the security and performance of extensions. That makes sense in principle as extensions need to access potentially sensitive data and thus need to be trustworthy.
Memory Hogs Tackled
Many of the changes are widely supported. They include technical changes that will make it easier to run extensions which display content in a side panel or create a reading list of websites that is separate to the bookmarks function.
Other changes could significantly reduce the amount of resources such as memory used by pages which are running in the background rather than being actively viewed.
However, critics say the changes go too far in restricting what extensions can do and what information they can access, even when the user is happy with the existing situation. The biggest area of controversy is with ad blockers, which could be hit hard by a ban of using remotely hosted code.
Ad Controversy
That's a move that has some security benefits but will make it much harder for ad blockers to maintain filter lists of ad sources to block. Instead, developers will need to submit lists for Chrome to review and approve before building into the extension. (Source: techspot.com)
Developers say that will take too long to let them respond to new ad sources and techniques. The developer of the high profile uBlock Origin extension has already said he's ditching the project rather than updating it for Manifest Version 3. (Source: theregister.com)
Critics argue that whatever Google's stated motives, it has a conflict of interest given it makes much of its money from selling online advertising.
What's Your Opinion?
Do you use Chrome extensions? Are you aware of any of your favorite extensions no longer working? Should Google rethink the changes?
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Comments
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin was one of the only ad blockers that would still block Youtube ads when Youtube started promoting its paid-for video services. If I can't use uBlock Origin to block highly annoying Youtube ads I'll simply switch back to Firefox. I previously stopped using Firefox because of out-of-control memory usage, but I'll gladly switch back if I have to choose between reloading Firefox every now and again to reclaim my RAM vs having to watch painfully annoying video ads constantly.
How about just refusing to
How about just refusing to update Chrome, or will it eventually force us to update? Or I'll use a different browser( like Firefox or Brave). Thank you for the warning!
Chrome may stop working
Personally, if I don't update Chrome it usually breaks my addons or pages stop loading altogether, speaking from experience. Reloading Chrome usually works (and the update usually gets applied at this time). Either way, I don't recommend not updating Chrome due to security vulnerabilities.
Chrome is everywhere
Several other browsers use Chrome as their base. Brave, Microsoft Edge, and Opera and others. Will they be affected also?
Chromium browsers
Yes these browsers will be affected because they all share the Chromium code, which is the base code that makes up Chrome (which in turn makes up Brave, etc). The issue has to do with "Manifest version 3" which is framework that developers must use in order to make an addon compliant with the latest release of Chromium.
Supposedly brave will still
Supposedly brave will still support manifest 2 add ons. I'm not sure about firefox... that's my primary browser. But I use addons for work in chrome/edge that are manifest 2 and won't be ported to 3... so, that stinks. I did find the addons I used do work in brave, so may go with that for the things I need until it stops v2 support.
I only use chrome at work because we use google suite for everything and ClickUP is a dog in firefox. No clue why, but once I have one or 2 CU tabs open... it just crawls. It's not much better in chrome, but it is better.
we'll see what happens.
I'm not sure if enough people will switch away from Chrome to make Google care, but we'll see. They did recently stop their plans to do away with third party cookies for now.
If people want to continue using Chrome, they can give uBlock lite a try. While it's not as powerful as uBlock Origin, it's developed by the same person and seems to be doing the job so far.
The price
Like my friend said, that's the price for "free" gmail, YouTube,and now Gemini etc. that Google offers us. If we don't want the ads and use of our information, there's a way to stop it; delete everything tied to Google and don't use their products. Easier said than done, eh? ;)