Google’s New Move to Crush Ad Blockers in Chrome Sparks Outrage Among Users and Privacy Advocates
Google, known mainly for its search capabilities, also operates as an advertising company, and this fact has become glaringly clear through its latest efforts to clamp down on ad blockers in its Chrome web browser. The company’s decision to restrict ad blockers has triggered outrage among users and privacy advocates alike.
In a blog post, Google revealed that starting in June 2024, it will once again push forward with its plans to phase out the Manifest V2 format used by current Chrome extensions, and replace it with the more restrictive Manifest V3. The changes to Manifest V3 include an increased upper limit on extension rules from 5,000 to 30,000, which Google considers a “generous” number. However, this remains insufficient for effective ad blockers, as popular extensions such as uBlock Origin require around 300,000 rules to function properly.
The implications of the Manifest V3 will severely cripple ad blockers, which is concerning not only due to the annoyance of ads, but also the potential dangers of malware disguised as ads. Critics have voiced that this move will only serve to benefit Google’s advertising business.
While Google has contended that Manifest V3 restrictions are aimed at safeguarding user privacy and delivering a more streamlined browsing experience, critics argue that malicious add-ons can still exploit user data using the webRequest API. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has labeled Google’s strategy as “deceitful and threatening,” and have gone on record to denounce it as “outright harmful to privacy efforts.”
Given the privacy and security concerns surrounding Chrome’s new ad blocking restrictions, it may be time for users to consider switching to alternative browsers, with Firefox being a highly recommended choice. Other secure alternatives such as Brave, DuckDuckGo, and Apple’s Safari are also available. These browsers are designed to prioritize user privacy and steer clear of the data-grabbing practices associated with Chrome.
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