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.
In their eyes they just made 30 million more customers.
Fucking parasites.
It is a worry. I think we might end up needing to pay for Firefox ourselves.
IIRC, only like 2% of Mozilla spending goes towards FF (I may be misinterpreting something, but I remember 2% being thrown around), so funding FF without rest of Mozilla bullshit shouldn’t be that hard. Of course, since Mozilla did spend so little on FF, it’s a question how much they actually care about FF and what would happen if they lost access to their golden goose. They shouldn’t have problem funding FF, but they probably have other bullshit they don’t want to let go and that has more priority for them.
For now. They could default to yahoo and make money. Maybe not as much, but they could sustain browser development.
Firefox is still far superior to chromium.
I agree but isn’t the choice between “the terrible guys” and “the okayish guys”?
I prefer flawed but trying guys to guys with zero morals that farm every ounce of data they can.
I’ve heard reasonably good reports about ublock origin lite (uBOL), the manifest V3 implementation. I haven’t made the jump yet, though.
It has some deal breaking limitations:
- No filter list that can be updated, you have to update the whole extension to update filters. This adds delay as it has to go through Google verification process, they could even refuse some updates.
- Not every type of rules are available on MV3, so it has to drop some filters.
- No CNAME-uncloacking.
This is the bargaining stage of the five stages of grief.
Maybe it’s Stockholm Syndrome.
Netscape Navigator is clearly superior to Internet Explorer. except that Andreessen guy became a Facebook bro. Shame nothing came of that. Oh well, guess I’ll use Firefox.
Cat and mouse game, it’s better to DNS block ads.
DNS blocker will be as useful or maybe even less than ubo lite. E.g. it just cannot block youtube ads like ubo does.
Also Google and removed both bypass your DNS blocker. They use their own DNS server and DoH protocol to resolve their ad servers. DoH is also hard to block because it uses port 443 with https.
The best bet right now is to use either a DNS or even better: packet filter level blocker such as zenarmor; together with ublock origin on firefox. Nothing else will not really block tracking in 2024.
It’s not perfect but PiHole will still catch a lot of the ads if you have the know-how to set one up. Tis a relatively cheap and easy solution that has the benefit of being able to block ads network-wide, providing your router lets you set a custom DNS.
Even if my Internet provider forced me to use their router I’d plug my own router in behind that one fuck that.
Some isp’s have been detecting the second router and giving people shit for it.
But I’m with you on that, I don’t trust the isp’s backdoored router-modem. Hard pass.
Some isp’s have been detecting the second router and giving people shit for it.
Giving people shit how? This is the first time I hear something like this. In my case, my ISP does not allow bridging a router, so I NAT mine instead, and it works just fine.
