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News update contentious Chrome changes

Google has postponed the contentious Manifest V3 updates to Chrome that would break some ad blockers. The Manifest V3 modifications were initially planned to launch with Chrome 112 in January 2023.

Google stated that it was considering conducting tests to disable support for Manifest V2 extensions in the Canary, Dev, and Beta channels in a schedule that was published back in October. Google intended to cease business V2 support for all Manifest V2 products and remove them from the Chrome Web Store by January 2024.

However, 9to5Google, which broke the news of the delay first, reports that it has been delayed.

Google is "intently observing feedback from the developer community to help shape our timelines," according to Simeon Vincent, a developer advocate for Chrome extensions.

According to Vincent, the manufacturer of browsers has "heard your criticism on usual concerns caused by the migration, particularly the service worker's inability to use DOM capabilities and the existing hard limit on extension service worker durations."

We are actively looking for a solution to the latter as well as reducing the former using the Offscreen Documents API (introduced in Chrome 109) he continued.

"We're committed to giving developers with answers to migration difficulties with new features, bug fixes, and appropriate time for adoption," Vincent's blog adds.  

Due to this, we're delaying any experiments in January to disable Manifest V2 in Chrome's pre-release channels and make changes to the featured badge in the Chrome Webstore. We'll also be considering any subsequent milestones.

Although a specific date has not yet been established, Vincent advised that "by March 2023, expect to hear more about the modified phase-out plan and schedule."

Before turning off Manifest V2, he continued, "our guiding principle will be to provide developers sufficient time to update and test their extensions after the debut of these new features."

Manifest V3: What is it?

Manifest V3 features a redesign of the permissions system through the elimination of the blocking version of the WebRequest API, in case you haven't noticed from my coverage thus far. Because an adversary might currently alter any element of a user's web page without the user or Google being aware of it, Google claims the change will increase security. When the extension is uploaded to Google's store, the modification also makes it simpler to spot abuses.

However, the next Chrome updates can affect functionality and break some ad blockers. Critics have questioned the motivations of the browser manufacturer given that Google is one of the largest advertising firms in the world.

The EFF, a group that promotes privacy, said of Manifest V3 that it "is another example of the inherent conflict of interest that results from Google having both the top online browser and one of the key internet advertising networks."

Google argues that switching to Manifest V3 is the right decision given the security advantages outweigh any potential functionality loss. According to Google, Manifest V3 is designed to safeguard less tech-savvy Chrome browser users.

However, many Chrome users are dissatisfied with the modifications, and some have switched to competitors like Firefox. Although Manifest V3 may be farther away than it first appeared, there are plenty of Chrome options if you do decide to make the transition. Some, like Brave, which incorporates ad blocking into the browser itself, are even based on the same Chromium engine.