![]() In fact, even a combination of such extensions performs no worse than a browser without any extensions. The article was written by Kevin Borgolte, and Nick Feamster, who are professors at Princeton University and the University of Chicago, respectively.Ĭontrary to Google’s claims that extensions which inspect and block requests negatively affect browser performance, we find that a browser with privacy-focused request-modifying extensions performs similar or better on our metrics compared to a browser without extensions. In doing so, he has quoted an article from the ACM Digital Library discussing this. uBlock Origin’s developer, Raymond, has been posting a bunch on his Twitter account about how the argument regarding the performance costs of privacy-focused browser extensions does not seem to be valid. ![]() Chromium BugsĪs of writing this, we’re unsure if Manifest v3 has been altered to make an exception for adblockers, and if it has, it would have to be on an individual basis according to the developer’s trust level and relationship with Google in these private discussions. We are working with extension developers to strive to keep this breakage to a minimum, while still advancing the platform to enhance security, privacy, and performance for all users. In one response, a Googler stated that they had no intention of breaking extensions, but that in the process of ensuring user privacy and security, there would be a few cracked eggs no matter what. Going forward, the Web Store extensions should closely resemble the informative and professional look of Play Store listings, and Manifest v3 is directly responsible for all of these changes.ĭeclarativeNetRequest Max calls per intervalĪd blockers are one of the most popular extension types, and a handful of the biggest developers in this space have gone to Google to complain – so much so that Google had to delete several of the comments on the Chromium Bug tracker and move the discussion to a private thread. In a nutshell, Google wants to wrangle the out of control approach that the Web Store has been operating on for so many years – It feels like a free for all, and that’s unacceptable. Chrome will start giving users control over what data extensions can access, and developers who respect user privacy will receive a ‘ seal of approval‘ from Google (seen below) which can help users make informed decisions about which extensions are safe to install and use. Second, I’ve reported several times on how the Chrome Web Store would mimic much of this beginning in January, and well, here we are. In Android Q, Google began allowing you to go even further and let an app only access permissions while it’s running as opposed to in the background if you so wish, and shows a persistent notification while any permission is being accessed so that you remain fully in control of your privacy from moment to moment. Developers are required to clearly state how they will use your data and for what purpose each permission requested of you will be used within the context of their app experience (Granular Permissions). First, the Google Play Store has adopted the exact same approach over the past few years. Primarily, it disallows remotely hosted code to be present in extensions uploaded to the Chrome Web Store which can make it easier to identify potential threats in the review process.īy this point, you may be asking yourself why this looks so familiar. Basically, it’s a new platform that makes Chrome extensions more secure, performant, and privacy-respecting by default. ![]() Manifest v3 was introduced in 2018 and has a long and controversial history. What exactly is this Manifest v3 though, and is it the end all be all of fixes for the Chrome extensions problem? Will it have adverse effects on extensions that aren’t malicious? We’re going to demystify all of this today, so sit back, grab a drink and let’s get started. Each time something crazy happens with a developer stealing user data and such, like the 15 cases of this last month, the four last week that Facebook busted, and even the popular tab suspension tool gone rogue, there’s been talk of something called “Manifest v3” which could help put an end to it all. I’ve been covering Chrome extensions and their many mishaps for quite a while here now.
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