"For years, tech behemoth Google threatened to crack down on browser extension activity within its Chrome browser to improve security. Now, the company is making good on its threats and disabling browser extensions that don't comply with Manifest V3, its browser extension framework. Security experts, such as those at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), argue that Manifest V3 is not a viable solution for addressing real security concerns, including browser extensions that scrape users' browsing histories and sell the data to the highest bidder."
"I tested all browser extensions on a desktop computer running Windows 11 Pro, including each ad blocker's Firefox extension. For functionality tests, I click around PCMag's homepage and other well-known news and social media websites. I also watch YouTube videos to see how many pre-roll, mid-roll, and overlay advertisements I encounter while they run. During the test, I note the aesthetic choices for each extension and give preference to those with attractive and easy-to-use"
Google is disabling Chrome browser extensions that do not comply with Manifest V3, its browser extension framework. Security groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation argue that Manifest V3 fails to address real threats such as extensions scraping and selling users' browsing histories. Google maintains Manifest V3 is not intended to stifle ad-blocker development. Currently uBlock Origin is identified as being affected, and users can temporarily re-enable disabled extensions via Chrome's Extensions manager. Most ad blockers are also available on Edge and Firefox, offering alternatives to Chrome. Testing of ad blockers was performed on a Windows 11 Pro desktop, including functional site navigation and YouTube ad playback, plus aesthetic evaluation.
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