Google’s revised Chrome extension standard loosens restrictions on ad blockers
Illustration: The Verge
Google has shared an updated timeline about Manifest V3, the latest version of its Chrome extension specification that has faced criticism for putting limits on ad blockers. After putting the update on pause last year, Google announced on Thursday it will continue the transition to Manifest V3 with some key changes.
One of those changes is “improved content filtering support” for the Declarative Net Request API used by ad-blocking extensions. Google previously proposed putting restrictions on the functionality of this API for security reasons, potentially impacting the effectiveness of ad-blockers across all Chromium-based browsers, including Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox.
Developers and privacy advocates pushed back on the…
