Is Google’s Manifest V3 Banning Ad Blockers?

A look at how the latest Manifest version affects your browsing experience

Manifest V3 — A Step in the Wrong Direction

Google calls Manifest V3 “a step in the direction of security, privacy, and performance”. But the reality is the latest iteration of the Chrome extension platform is incompatible with several browser extensions, many of which are ad blockers. We’ll talk more about why this is a problem, but first, let’s go over the basics.

What is a Manifest?

An extension manifest outlines the permissions and abilities a developer includes in an extension for Chrome browser.

Why is Google Phasing Out Manifest V2?

According to Google, Chrome Web Store extensions utilizing Mv2’s permission set “have been exploited to gain inappropriate access to user data and metadata”. The changes implemented in Manifest V3 intend to solve this problem.

Manifest V2’s developer-friendly implementation allowed ad blocker and tracker blocking extensions to easily provide powerful customizability to the user. This means users are able to choose which block lists they subscribe to or block sites and certain tracking requests on the fly using the powerful ad and tracker blocking extensions that have been released under Manifest V2.

Introducing Manifest V3

Manifest Version 3 is Google’s latest development in a series of rules designated for extension creation on Google Chrome.

The update was released in January 2021. While currently Manifest V2 extensions are no longer accepted by the Chrome Web Store, developers can still push updates to existing Manifest V2 extensions. However, all extensions using the previous version will stop working by January 2023.

How Does Manifest V3 Change Things?

According to Google, Manifest V3 will enhance privacy, security, and extension performance. Google claims it gives users more control over their browser settings by keeping extensions from changing user controls without permission.

In practice, this means that Manifest V3 changed Web Request’s API so that extensions can only monitor browser connections but not alter any of the content before being displayed.

TLDR: Ad blockers will now be less effective…

The new declarative NetRequest API was changed to tell the browser — not extensions — to strip content or resources from visited sites. The biggest drawback to these changes was that this API came with a limit of 30,000 rules, drastically limiting the functionality of ad blockers.

The Verdict on Manifest V3:

While Google presents Manifest V3 as an opportunity for forward movement and progression to a more secure browsing experience, the result of this change is that many users will actually face less protection.

Manifest V3 may not kill all ad blockers completely, but the new version of the extension API will severely limit ad-blocking capability. Users will have to rely on insecure solutions like extensions that route ALL requests to proxy servers or wait on slow-updating block lists that won’t be able to be customized or updated as easily.

Despite how Manifest V3 may negatively impact a user’s browsing experience, Google continues to plow ahead. But that’s not really a surprise. After all, if Google Ads can’t be blocked, the ads get more views and clicks, and Google makes more money at the expense of its users.

How to Keep Your Ad Blocker Functionality

While Manifest V3 has already been implemented and will soon be the only available format, this doesn’t mean you’re stuck using it.

Wave Browser is a free, chromium-based browser — offering all of the Google Chrome features you know and love. The best part is Wave lets you keep the full, uninterrupted functionality of all your favorite browser extensions, including ad blockers.

Since V2 is being phased out gradually, Chrome users may not have noticed disturbances yet. This change will come in January 2023, when all Manifest V2 extensions will be completely phased out, dramatically altering a user’s ad blocker functionality. Smart Browsing Society encourages you to take control of your browsing experience and avoid ads with a browser that prioritizes its user base and keeps your extensions functional.