Google's Chrome Web Store is now warning that the uBlock Origin ad blocker and other extensions may soon be blocked as part of the company's deprecation of the Manifest V2 extension specification.
"This extension may soon no longer be supported because it doesn't follow best practices for Chrome extensions," reads the Chrome Web Store page for uBlock Origin.
The warning includes a link to a Google support bulletin that states the browser extension may be disabled to protect users' privacy and security.
"To better protect your privacy and security, Chrome and the Chrome Web Store require extensions to be up-to-date with new requirements," reads Google's support bulletin.
"With this, Chrome may disable extensions that don't meet these requirements."
Site: BleepingComputer
The new warnings were first reported today by users on X, who saw a different message on the Chrome Web Store stating that the extension is no longer available.
However, BleepingComputer was not shown this alert on numerous browsers and devices, instead seeing the one shared above. It is not clear if the original message appeared by mistake and switched later to the current one.
The new alert recommends users switch to a different ad blocker that supports Manifest V3, such as Hill's uBlock Original Lite and other ad blockers. Many Chrome users are now saying they will switch to other browsers if uBlock Origin is blocked.
There is nothing insecure about uBlock Origin and likely other extensions that are showing this alert. Instead, this warning is being displayed as part of Google's ongoing deprecation of the Manifest v2 (MV2) extension specification, which uBlock Origin uses.
In August, Google started warning users directly in the browser that the extension may soon be disabled and that they should find alternatives.
Source: BleepingComputer
At the time, uBlock Origin lead developer and maintainer Raymond Hill explained that these warnings are the result of Google deprecating support for the Manifest V2 (MV2) extensions platform in favor of Manifest V3 (MV3).
"uBO is a Manifest v2 extension, hence the warning in your Google Chrome browser. There is no Manifest v3 version of uBO, hence the browser will suggest alternative extensions as a replacement for uBO," Hill explained in August.
"uBO Lite (uBOL) is a pared-down version of uBO with a best effort at converting filter lists used by uBO into a Manifest v3-compliant approach, with a focus on reliability and efficiency as has been the case with uBO since first published in June 2014."
These Chrome Manifest versions are specifications for building Chrome extensions that outline the rules, permissions, and APIs developers must follow and use.
In 2019, Google announced that Manifest V2 would be deprecated in favor of a Manifest V3 extension specification, which first started rolling out with Chrome 88 in December 2020.
However, the new Chrome Manifest V3 introduced significant technical challenges for extension developers, especially those requiring greater control over web browser functions such as ad blockers, forcing them to create new extensions with limited capabilities (like Hill's uBlock Origin Lite).
While uBlock Origin Lite may work fine for some users, those who require advanced filtering or when visiting specific sites, may find that they have a more limited experience. uBlock Origin's developer created a FAQ explaining the differences between the uBlock Origin Manifest V2 extension and the new uBlock Lite Manifest V3 version.
Even after Manifest V2 is deprecated, users can continue to use the Manifest V2 extension until June 2025 using the ExtensionManifestV2Availability policy. This policy allows the enterprise and other users to control Manifest v2 extension availability on Linux, Mac, Windows, and ChromeOS.
As uBlock Origin continues to work as usual on Firefox, and Brave Browser and Vivaldi say they will continue to support Chrome Manifest V2, users can still find both Chromium-based browsers and alternatives that support the popular content filter and ad blocker.
Update 10/15/24: Google shared the following statement with BleepingComputer regarding the deprecation of Manifest V2 Chrome extensions.
"Now, over 93% of actively maintained extensions in the Chrome Web Store are running Manifest V3, and the top content filtering extensions all have Manifest V3 versions available - with options for users of AdBlock, Adblock Plus, uBlock Origin and AdGuard," Google told BleepingComputer.
Comments
U_Swimf - 1 month ago
nothing wrong with ublock yet... but google does plan for future stuff quite better than any other. Even if it wasnt true and ublock will continue being safe to use, i would not put it beyond a certain companies intention to ensure something like ublock get's destroyed eventually. It must cost advertisers some amount of money...
Allso, seems like Google wants to seed us all by turning out phones into edge servers.... faster ≠ better?
ThomasMann - 1 month ago
I guess uBlock blocks ads that make google money?
GT500 - 1 month ago
uBlock and uBlock Origin are different projects. Raymond Hill created both, but the original uBlock was handed to another maintainer who ended up not being capable of continuing the project, so uBlock Origin was created (I think as a fork of uBlock) to replace it. I do not know if the uBlock project is even still around.
As for uBlock Origin, it is usually the most effective free ad blocker (or at least is usually better than Adblock and Adblock Plus). It does cut into Google's advertising revenue, and it is usually unaffected when other ad blockers start having issues on YouTube. Keep in mind though that uBlock Origin is not the only ad blocker effected by the change to Manifest V3, and even privacy extensions are being effected by it.
realmotang - 1 month ago
Time for people to start using Firefox.
GT500 - 1 month ago
As Lawrence pointed out, Brave and Vivaldi are both continuing to support Manifest V2. It's also important to note that, at least as far as I have read, none of the maintainers of these browsers (Firefox, Brave, and Vivaldi) have committed to indefinite Manifest V2 support, so we may see ad blockers like uBlock Origin stop working in those browsers in the future as well if maintaining Manifest V2 support is no longer feasible at some point in the future.
Also note that Brave and Vivaldi have their own built-in ad blockers, which is a feature that Firefox lacks. Even if Manifest V2 goes away completely and ad blocking extensions are no longer possible, browsers with their own built-in ad blocking features should continue to work.
MickyFoley - 1 month ago
Well, even if browsers have their own blockers, maintaining filters and custom solutions like we have for YouTube, is something they can't and won't guarantee. A dev specialized for adblocking, like Gorhill does, is always the best solution. So yes: Chromium isn't the solution. If Brave and Vivaldi had forked Gecko, it would have been a better foundation than taking Chromium and living the rules of Google.
And be sure, they'll have to follow somewhere in near future.
GT500 - 1 month ago
There's also no guarantee that volunteers for an open source project will be able to maintain something indefinitely. Raymond Hill (Gorhill) has already tried to move on, and only came back because he realized he made a mistake in who he picked to hand the original uBlock project over to.
As for forking Firefox, projects like that are usually DOA. They're only popular with relatively small groups, and commercial products based on Firefox wouldn't be financially viable. It's usually Chromium or bust for commercial browsers, which is why you only see open source projects doing it.
PeterAlexLondon - 1 month ago
Just what I thought
This is why I use Brave browser DDG Adguard Kaspersky for a very long time, recently stepped over to ProtonMail for obvious reasons, Outlook blew away my Mail and Calender App ; THX MS
I think I go Thunderbird as a main M&C app, Proton is not that easy to configure concerning other EMail adresses, have to figure that out.
In the meantime I'll contact 0Patch win10 forever ( until at least 2030 )I'll be 74 by then; we'll see
GT500 - 1 month ago
"I think I go Thunderbird as a main M&C app, Proton is not that easy to configure concerning other EMail adresses, have to figure that out."
Vivaldi also has a built-in mail client. You have the option to enable it during first-time setup, otherwise it's buried in the settings. I've had major performance issues with Thunderbird in the past, and I don't particularly like it.
fogek - 1 month ago
I uninstalled after Chrome was sued for recording people's INCOGNITO History. (and they still do if you live in Europe.)
doncoyote - 1 month ago
Given the choice between Chrome and uBO, the decision will not be Chrome.
evendude7763 - 1 month ago
I guess I'm just impressed any of y'all still use Chrome-based anything.
Firefox FTW
Krevbot - 1 month ago
I stopped using Chrome years ago for personal use. I use it as a secondary browser for work as we can only use Edge or Chrome.
I'll use Brave, Safari, Arc, Opera, Firefox, Edge, or pretty much any browser before I use Chrome. They've shown their cards and I don't like them.
WieMe - 1 month ago
Google continues to amp up their ad revenue greed. I have Chrome (and Edge) for backup, but my default browser continues to be Firefox (with uBlock Origin, of course).
NoneRain - 1 month ago
Three options:
1 - Install uBO Lite instead. If it blocks what you need, great.
2 - Change the browser: Edge, Firefox or Vivaldi would be my choices.
3 - Buy Adguard (desktop), and forget an ad even exist in any browser or whatever.
deltasierra - 1 month ago
Nope, Edge is also out as Microsoft is respecting the Chromium projects Manifest V2 deprecation:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/extensions-chromium/developer-guide/manifest-v3
Microsoft wants Bing advertising revenue as well, even if it greatly pales in comparison to Google's.
Already a Firefox user (with uBlock Origin, obviously) and Google has made it even easier for me to convert folks over, even if Mozilla does eventually (and probably will have to) deprecate MV2 someday.
mbilal429 - 1 month ago
If it chrome disables unblock origin I will suddenly switch to other browser
kiniku - 1 month ago
I've been aware of this, but is the motivation primarily for the deprecation to reduce the effectiveness of ad blockers in general?
Will the change be mandatory and impact all chromium based browsers eventually, or just Chrome and others like Edge that chose to follow Chrome guidelines?
FX_Raider1 - 1 month ago
"Google warns uBlock Origin and other extensions may be disabled soon." WARNING TO GOOGLE: Then Chrome may be disabled soon.
tech_engineer - 1 month ago
Misleading article title: reading it suggests google warned uBlock directly, when in reality it is warning every single MV2 extension, I have like 10 warnings and none of the is uBlock origin (I use AdGuard ad blocked, running on all windows browsers)
ProTruckDriver - 1 month ago
I guess Chrome will be losing a lot of customers. I use Firefox or Safari and I'm satisfied with both.
JustAnotherEndUser - 1 month ago
Can't say I've been a fan of Firefox since Edge Chromium became a thing, I currently only use Chrome as a backup browser. That said, I use Brave on my phone and it is the primary browser on one of my seed boxes at home. Over 12Gb in data savings the last 4 weeks by not getting ads. Yeah, I know which way I'll be going.