Electronic Frontier Foundation accuses new Chrome extension "Manifest V3" to be extremely harmful

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The new Chrome extension Manifest V3 , which Google is implementing, is supposed to improve user privacy, security and performance. However, there are criticisms that Manifest V3 will significantly limit functions such as advertising blockers, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) , a non-profit organization that defends freedom of speech in digital, said, "Manifest V3 is fraudulent and threatening. It's a target. " Manifest V3: Open Web Politics in Sheep's Clothing | Electronic Frontier Foundation https://www.eff.org/am/deeplinks/2021/11/manifest-v3-open-web-politics-sheeps-clothing Chrome Users Beware: Manifest V3 is Deceitful and Threatening | Electronic Frontier Foundation https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/12/chrome-users-beware-manifest-v3-deceitful-and-threatening Google is a new version of the Chrome extension Manifest We are gradually introducing V3, and in January 2021, Chrome 88 will support Manifest V3, and in January 2022 we will ban the addition of new extensions based on the conventional Manifest V2. is. Updates for extensions based on Manifest V2 will also be banned in January 2023, and from June 2023 only extensions based on Manifest V3 will be available in Chrome.

In Manifest V3, the " webRequest API " that allows extensions to evaluate all data in a network request and tell Chrome whether to allow or block the request has been removed. In addition, remote hosting of extension source code has been banned, migration from constantly resource-consuming background pages to service workers that start as needed, and migration of APIs in general to a declarative model. Changes have been made to limit the user data that the extension can handle. Google claims that these changes made in Manifest V3 are efforts to protect user privacy, security, and improve performance. However, there are criticisms that Manifesto V3 will significantly limit the performance of the extension as a result of the data exchange between the extension and the website and the less flexibility that developers have in the extension. .. Ad blockers are said to be particularly affected, and it was pointed out that "Manifest V3 may be for disabling extensions that block ads and trackers." Google is taking measures to disable the ad blocking function that hides ads on the web in Chrome etc. --GIGAZINE

After that, Google announced that it worked with the developers of AdBlock Plus , an ad blocker, to fix the ad blocker to work properly in Manifest V3. However, AdGuard , which provides another ad blocker, seems to have a big negative impact on extensions, such as posting a blog post that made the introduction of Manifest V3 "sad news". [Sad news] Manifest V3 is approaching https://adguard.com/ja/blog/manifestv3-timeline.html

The Electronic Frontier Foundation also posted on its official website, "Manifest V3 is an example of a conflict of interest coming from Google that controls both the dominant web browser and the largest Internet advertising network." "Manifest V3 is very much about privacy efforts. Harmful, especially limiting the capabilities of web extensions designed to allow browsers to monitor, modify and calculate websites visited. New specifications include some extensions such as tracker blockers that protect privacy. Features are significantly reduced. Given that Google has trackers installed on 75% of the top 1 million websites, Google's efforts to restrict access to extensions remain a concern. " He has strongly criticized the introduction of Manifest V3. Also, although it has been pointed out that many Chrome extensions are actually harmful to users , a more thorough review process can be introduced to block malicious extensions. However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation points out that Chrome did not improve the review process, but limited the performance of all extensions. "The development specifications for web browser extensions may seem trivial, but the broader impact is important to all Internet citizens. This is another way Google defines how to live online. It's one step. Given that Google has been the world's largest advertising company for many years, these new restrictions are patriarchal and eerie, "said the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

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