Google Chrome is finally transitioning to Manifest V3, introducing new rules for ad blockers

Aug 7, 2024

Google Chrome transitions to Manifest V3, sparking concerns over favoring advertisers over users with stricter rules for ad blockers starting June 2024.

Google Chrome is finally transitioning to Manifest V3, introducing new rules for ad blockers

: Google Chrome is transitioning to Manifest V3 after six years of development, with new rules affecting ad blockers. Critics, including uBlock Origin and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue it benefits advertisers by complicating ad-block maintenance. Google claims the update will enhance security, privacy, performance, and trustworthiness of extensions.

Google Chrome is finally transitioning to Manifest V3, six years after development began. This new version of the Chrome extension platform will become mandatory for all extensions and introduces new rules that critics believe favor advertisers over users.

Google claims that 85% of actively maintained extensions in its store have Manifest V3 versions ready. Despite this, popular ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin and Ghostery are adapting to these new changes, with some planning 'Lite' versions to remain functional under the new rules.

Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Mozilla dispute Google's claims that Manifest V3 will enhance security, privacy, performance, and trustworthiness. They argue the restrictions imposed benefit advertisers by complicating the maintenance of ad-blocking lists and potentially slowing down updates to respond to new advertising techniques.