Google has recently updated its Manifest V3, which is the specification for Chrome extensions that has been criticized for its limitations on ad-blockers. Google has announced that it will transition from Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 by making improvements to certain key specifications.
One of the changes involves enhancing content filtering for the Declarative Net Request API used by ad-blocking extensions. Previously, Google proposed limitations on the functionality of this API due to security concerns, potentially impacting the performance of ad-blockers in all Chromium-based browsers.
Currently, Manifest V2 is no longer supported, and Google will automatically disable the use of Manifest V2 extensions in user browsers in June 2024.
Despite having somewhat reconciled with ad-blockers, Google still maintains a contentious relationship with this type of extension. This was evident when YouTube started banning users who use ad-blockers to block advertisements, affecting users worldwide.
TLDR: Google has updated its Manifest V3, a specification for Chrome extensions, which has faced criticism for restricting ad-blocking capabilities. The update includes improvements to the content filtering of ad-blocking extensions. Manifest V2 is no longer supported, and Google will disable its use in user browsers by June 2024. Despite some attempts at reconciliation, Google’s relationship with ad-blocking extensions remains contentious, as seen with YouTube’s ban on ad-blocker users. (78 words)
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