The latest news from Windows Central revealed that Google is making significant changes to its extension support policy on Chrome. As a result, uBlock Origin, which is one of the most popular ad blockers with over 30 million users, is facing discontinuation. This change involves transitioning from the Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 framework, preventing uBlock Origin and similar extensions from using remotely hosted code for what Google states to be improved security.
As a consequence, more than 30 million Chrome users who rely on uBlock Origin will be directly impacted. Although Google plans to allow a temporary re-enabling of the extension, it will eventually be removed entirely. While there is an alternative version called uBlock Origin Lite, it comes with limitations compared to the original version. Users may need to explore different ad-blocking options or consider switching to a different web browser.
This decision by Google has sparked controversy within the user community, particularly among those advocating for internet privacy and freedom of choice. Nonetheless, Google claims that this step is necessary to enhance security for Chrome users.