From Newsgroup: comp.misc

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad
Blockers
Author: BeauHD
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000
Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Google is removing Chrome's last remaining workarounds for Manifest V2 extensions, effectively ending support for legacy ad blockers such as
the original uBlock Origin. 9to5Google reports: CyberNews points out a
Chromium commit that removes support for the
"kExtensionManifestV2Disabled" flag, which is referred to as "dead code"
seeing as Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions. This removal
acts as the final stop for many Manifest V2-based ad blocker extensions
that were still in use today -- the flag was effectively a loophole to
continue using these extensions. A Googler on the commit explains: "MV2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and
we are removing support for them and the associated functionality. We
won't be able to provide / maintain this functionality indefinitely due
to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it
entails (we've actually found a number of bugs that are specific to MV2 lately). Of course, other browsers can continue supporting these if they
so desire." This will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, though
the comment notes that "other browsers can continue supporting these if
they so desire." Neowin points out that Microsoft Edge and Opera are
likely to follow suit. Chrome 150, set to be released later this month,
will remove this flag, while other leftover bits of Manifest V2 will be
removed in the v151 release.

[image 1 (link #2)][1] [image 2 (link #4)][3]

Read more of this story[5] at Slashdot.

[iframe 1 (link #6)]

Links:
[1]: http://twitter.com/home?status=Google+Chrome%27s+Next+Update+Will+Mark+the+End+of+Popular+Ad+Blockers%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F26%2F06%2F15%2F205219%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter (link)
[2]: https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png (image)
[3]: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F26%2F06%2F15%2F205219%2Fgoogle-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook (link)
[4]: https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png (image)
[5]: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed (link)
[6]: https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&id=24019010&smallembed=1 (iframe)

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 2026-06-20, Retrograde wrote:

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad
Blockers
Author: BeauHD
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000
Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Google is removing Chrome's last remaining workarounds for Manifest V2 extensions, effectively ending support for legacy ad blockers such as
the original uBlock Origin. 9to5Google reports: CyberNews points out a Chromium commit that removes support for the
"kExtensionManifestV2Disabled" flag, which is referred to as "dead code" seeing as Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions. This removal
acts as the final stop for many Manifest V2-based ad blocker extensions
that were still in use today -- the flag was effectively a loophole to continue using these extensions. A Googler on the commit explains: "MV2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and
we are removing support for them and the associated functionality. We
won't be able to provide / maintain this functionality indefinitely due
to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it
entails (we've actually found a number of bugs that are specific to MV2 lately). Of course, other browsers can continue supporting these if they
so desire." This will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, though
the comment notes that "other browsers can continue supporting these if
they so desire." Neowin points out that Microsoft Edge and Opera are
likely to follow suit. Chrome 150, set to be released later this month,
will remove this flag, while other leftover bits of Manifest V2 will be removed in the v151 release.

Removing a feature from Chromium because it's not intended to be
supported in Chrome, now that's brilliant :-P

Aaaanyway, there are other browsers out there, some which even support non-webext extensions.

Links:
[1]:
http://twitter.com/home?status=Google+Chrome%27s+Next+Update+Will+Mark+the+End+of+Popular+Ad+Blockers%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F26%2F06%2F15%2F205219%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter

(Really, Slashdot is linking to TSNFKAT?)
--
Nuno Silva
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 20 Jun 2026 03:32:09 GMT, Retrograde wrote:

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad
Blockers
Author: BeauHD
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000
Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Google is removing Chrome's last remaining workarounds for Manifest V2 extensions, effectively ending support for legacy ad blockers such as
the original uBlock Origin. 9to5Google reports: CyberNews points out a Chromium commit that removes support for the
"kExtensionManifestV2Disabled" flag, which is referred to as "dead code" seeing as Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions. This removal
acts as the final stop for many Manifest V2-based ad blocker extensions
that were still in use today -- the flag was effectively a loophole to continue using these extensions. A Googler on the commit explains: "MV2 extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and
we are removing support for them and the associated functionality. We
won't be able to provide / maintain this functionality indefinitely due
to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it
entails (we've actually found a number of bugs that are specific to MV2 lately). Of course, other browsers can continue supporting these if they
so desire." This will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, though
the comment notes that "other browsers can continue supporting these if
they so desire." Neowin points out that Microsoft Edge and Opera are
likely to follow suit. Chrome 150, set to be released later this month,
will remove this flag, while other leftover bits of Manifest V2 will be removed in the v151 release.

[image 1 (link #2)][1] [image 2 (link #4)][3]

Read more of this story[5] at Slashdot.

[iframe 1 (link #6)]

Links:
[1]: http://twitter.com/home?status=Google+Chrome%27s+Next+Update+Will+Mark+the+End+of+Popular+Ad+Blockers%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F26%2F06%2F15%2F205219%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter (link)
[2]: https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png (image)
[3]: http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F26%2F06%2F15%2F205219%2Fgoogle-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook (link)
[4]: https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png (image)
[5]: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&utm_medium=feed (link)
[6]: https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&id=24019010&smallembed=1 (iframe)

Google's carrot turned into spiky stick.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 20/06/2026 04:32, Retrograde wrote:

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad

And that's why some of us use other browsers :-)
--
Rob
"I have never understood why it should be necessary to become irrational
in order to prove that you care, or, indeed, why it should be necessary
to prove it at all." - Avon, Blake's 7

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 2026-06-20, Retrograde wrote:

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad
Blockers
Author: BeauHD
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000
Link:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Google is removing Chrome's last remaining workarounds for Manifest V2
extensions, effectively ending support for legacy ad blockers such as
the original uBlock Origin. 9to5Google reports: CyberNews points out a
Chromium commit that removes support for the
"kExtensionManifestV2Disabled" flag, which is referred to as "dead code"
seeing as Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions. This removal
acts as the final stop for many Manifest V2-based ad blocker extensions
that were still in use today -- the flag was effectively a loophole to
continue using these extensions. A Googler on the commit explains: "MV2
extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and
we are removing support for them and the associated functionality. We
won't be able to provide / maintain this functionality indefinitely due
to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it
entails (we've actually found a number of bugs that are specific to MV2
lately). Of course, other browsers can continue supporting these if they
so desire." This will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, though
the comment notes that "other browsers can continue supporting these if
they so desire." Neowin points out that Microsoft Edge and Opera are
likely to follow suit. Chrome 150, set to be released later this month,
will remove this flag, while other leftover bits of Manifest V2 will be
removed in the v151 release.

Removing a feature from Chromium because it's not intended to be
supported in Chrome, now that's brilliant :-P

An advertising company (remember, modern Google is the same company
that was once known as "Doubleclick") that makes a browser is cutting
of the ability of "browser makers" to provide effective ad blockers?
Hmm, I wonder /why/ they would do a thing like that.

Aaaanyway, there are other browsers out there, some which even support non-webext extensions.

But, somehow, the users need to be convinced to switch. Even on tech
sites like Hacker News nearly every comment thread from some news site
has one or more comments from users complaining about "all the ads" on
the linked site getting in the way. If you'd think there would be a
group that knows about and actually uses adblockers, it would be the
Hacker News readership, but no, there are a huge number of folks who
arguably *should* know that just don't know there is an alternative.
Extend that to the "average joe" who thinks "the internet" lives inside
the little "IE" icon on their winblows desktop and you can see what
keeps Chrome entrenched.

--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> wrote:

Aaaanyway, there are other browsers out there, some which even support non-webext extensions.

True, but the only ones I'm really happy with won't work with most
of the Web anymore, and Firefox is only barely clinging on to
compatibility.

On the Mac side, I see Safari already did this in 2019, when Google
started trying to do it in Chrome too:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-neutered-ad-blockers-in-safari-but-unlike-chrome-users-didnt-say-a-thing/

"But unlike Google, Apple never received any flak, and came out of
the whole process with a reputation of caring about users' privacy,
rather than attempting to "neuter ad blockers." The reasons may be
Apple's smaller userbase, the fact that changes rolled out across
years instead of months, and the fact that Apple doesn't rely on
ads for its profits, meaning there was no ulterior motive behind
its ecosystem changes."

I guess Google's worked out that the "changes rolled out across
years instead of months" approach works for them too.
--
__ __
#_ < |\| |< _#
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 2026-06-20, Rich wrote:

Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> wrote:

On 2026-06-20, Retrograde wrote:

From the «Raspberry Pi still works» department:
Feed: Slashdot
Title: Google Chrome's Next Update Will Mark the End of Popular Ad
Blockers
Author: BeauHD
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000
Link:
https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/15/205219/google-chromes-next-update-will-mark-the-end-of-popular-ad-blockers?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Google is removing Chrome's last remaining workarounds for Manifest V2
extensions, effectively ending support for legacy ad blockers such as
the original uBlock Origin. 9to5Google reports: CyberNews points out a
Chromium commit that removes support for the
"kExtensionManifestV2Disabled" flag, which is referred to as "dead code" >>> seeing as Chrome no longer supports Manifest V2 extensions. This removal >>> acts as the final stop for many Manifest V2-based ad blocker extensions
that were still in use today -- the flag was effectively a loophole to
continue using these extensions. A Googler on the commit explains: "MV2
extensions are no longer allowed in any supported version of Chrome, and >>> we are removing support for them and the associated functionality. We
won't be able to provide / maintain this functionality indefinitely due
to the complexity and tech debt, as well as the security risks it
entails (we've actually found a number of bugs that are specific to MV2
lately). Of course, other browsers can continue supporting these if they >>> so desire." This will also impact other Chromium-based browsers, though
the comment notes that "other browsers can continue supporting these if
they so desire." Neowin points out that Microsoft Edge and Opera are
likely to follow suit. Chrome 150, set to be released later this month,
will remove this flag, while other leftover bits of Manifest V2 will be
removed in the v151 release.

Removing a feature from Chromium because it's not intended to be
supported in Chrome, now that's brilliant :-P

An advertising company (remember, modern Google is the same company
that was once known as "Doubleclick") that makes a browser is cutting
of the ability of "browser makers" to provide effective ad blockers?
Hmm, I wonder /why/ they would do a thing like that.

One word comes to mind: antitrust.

But I guess Google will just fund political campaigns, as reportedly
Microsoft did with Dubya's around the time they were on trial?
--
Nuno Silva
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2