Google Chrome will block the blocking ads. We explain

Google Chrome browser extensions do not appear out of the blue. It is based on predefined Instruction set, Call ListThat defines precisely how and in what terms the plug-ins can operate. The current standard, Manifesto V2, has been in effect since 2012, and judging by the few people know about it, it works just fine. But Google wants to change.

The V3 statement is to have such a change. First introduced in Chrome 88 Beta, and finally dated January 2022, completely replacing its predecessor 12 months later. Formally speaking, the novelty is a guarantee of better performance with increased safety. However, there are many doubts.

Pixie Adblockers

To understand it, you need to introduce some technical concepts, but let’s try. Interaction with a website or web application can be stated as a series of requests in which data is exchanged between an IP address, i.e. a client and an application. Most importantly, however, today’s extensions can intercept and modify such requests almost as desired, which is very popular. Blockchain Announcement.

Meanwhile, the V3 statement limits the interaction patterns of these methods pre-imposedIn addition to not being able to intercept the request and access its content. So it eliminates proactive action by preventing ad blockers from quickly disabling new ad types. There are more such tricks. Much more.

A second, no less controversial idea is the limitations of texts. First, the symbol cannot be hosted remotely, and the second – it should be in the form of the so-called Service work. Here you can begin to explain what this standard is and what it is about creating scripts that are independent of page context, but the main problem is cliched.

Every service worker has Specific end dateThus, if the extension does not work all the time, its functionality will be reduced. Following this progress, along with remote content cutting, is closing the gateway to creating additional functionality in a deeper ecosystem, for example using machine learning.

Programmers sound the alarm

It is not difficult to see the contrast. In theory, websites should be faster, because multi-level request processing will be eliminated, and they will be more secure because the risk of dropping malicious code is reduced. But is that for sure, because they will shoot us at the same time Ads and Trackers?

No wonder the developers of the most popular ad blockers are sounding the alarm. Their statements criticizing the V3 statement, among other things, have already been issued by AdGuard, uBlock Origin, NoScript czy TrackMeNot. Not only that, but the US nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, which by law fights for civil liberties in the digital world, is on the table, too. However, Google has taken water in its mouth and is silent at the moment.

The only thing we know from the Mountain View campus is that work is on schedule. If so, then it January 17 2022 Only extensions compatible with Manifest V3 will start appearing in the Chrome Web Store, and not all legacy solutions will work after January 2023.

Image credit: Shutterstock (Premio Stock)

Text source: 4PDA, EFF, ed. King