Google

Google's Manifest V3 update to the Chrome Extensions API disabled the webRequestBlocking permission, preventing ad blockers such as uBlock Origin from functioning, with Google citing performance reasons. Critics argue the move may be motivated by allowing Google to profit from user data through tracking and surveillance, though this is unproven.

Incidents: Removed Google Home enshittification section, no source provided, main article is marked for deletion, and uses Gemini as a source. | ← Older revision | Revision as of 22:52, 1 September 2026 | || | Line 112: | Line 112: | || Manifest V3 disabled the <code webRequestBlocking</code permission in the <code webRequest</code API,<ref {{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{ }} Chrome Extensions {{ }} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers}}</ref preventing many ad content blockers such as uBlock Origin from working.<ref {{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Understanding Manifest V3 and the Future of uBlock Origin |url=https://ublockorigin.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812114916/https://ublockorigin.com/ |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker}}</ref Google cites performance reasons,<ref {{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{ }} Chrome Extensions {{ }} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers |quote="In Manifest V2, blocking web requests could significantly degrade both the performance of extensions and the performance of pages they work with."}}</ref but this is dubious; restricting content blockers prevents users from impeding their tracking and surveillance, meaning they can create a larger profit from the data gained. This is likely the ulterior motive, although unproven. | Manifest V3 disabled the <code webRequestBlocking</code permission in the <code webRequest</code API,<ref {{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{ }} Chrome Extensions {{ }} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers}}</ref preventing many ad content blockers such as uBlock Origin from working.<ref {{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Understanding Manifest V3 and the Future of uBlock Origin |url=https://ublockorigin.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812114916/https://ublockorigin.com/ |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker}}</ref Google cites performance reasons,<ref {{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{ }} Chrome Extensions {{ }} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers |quote="In Manifest V2, blocking web requests could significantly degrade both the performance of extensions and the performance of pages they work with."}}</ref but this is dubious; restricting content blockers prevents users from impeding their tracking and surveillance, meaning they can create a larger profit from the data gained. This is likely the ulterior motive, although unproven. | || ===Google Pixel=== | ===Google Pixel=== |