Google ramps up its campaign against ad blockers on Chrome.
  • Google is transitioning Chrome’s extension support from the Manifest V2 framework to the V3.
  • This means users won’t be able to use uBlock Origin to block ads on Google Chrome.
  • However, there’s a new iteration of the app — uBlock Origin Lite, which is Manifest V3 compliant but doesn’t boast the original version’s comprehensive ad-blocking features.
  • friend_of_satan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    583·
    3 months ago

    I’d just like to reassure everybody that you can quit using Google Chrome. I switched to Firefox a year ago. You can switch to something else too. Give it a try.

    Wait, I don’t need to nudge anybody. After all the ads start invading their browsing experience I doubt anybody will need much prodding.

            • maccentric@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              22·
              3 months ago

              The Orion browser has rudimentary support for Firefox extensions. UBlock origin seems to work for me. Best I’ve found for iOS

              • m-p{3}@lemmy.ca
                3·
                3 months ago

                From what I understand, it’s mostly because they’re forced to use WebKit, and building a compatibility layer to make the existing addons to work within iOS constraints on top of WebKit would need a significant amount of work.

                My guess is that Mozilla is waiting on the engine restrictions to be lifted, but so far that will only happen in the European market with their alt stores.

          • Pennomi@lemmy.worldEnglish
            26·
            3 months ago

            Only on Firefox Android.

            As far as I know, Safari is the only browser with Adblock on iOS.

            • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
              21·
              3 months ago

              Also third party browsers on iOS are forced to use a janky slow WebKit WebView instead of the accelerated WebKit on Safari.

              In the EU, things are different and third-party rendering engines have been forced upon Apple, so people there may have more options.

            • harsh3466@lemmy.ml
              15·
              3 months ago

              This is true, however, Firefox focus has a built in blocker that’s pretty good, and the Orion browser for iOS actually supports Firefox extensions (even though it’s built on top of safari), and is also pretty good. I run bothe Firefox focus and Orion with ublock on my iOS devices.

              • Eggyhead@fedia.io
                3·
                3 months ago

                I just installed Orion thanks to this post and I’m really impressed. I usually stick to safari, but I’m going to sit on this for a week and see how I feel about it.

                2 quick questions; Do you know if it’s possible to get YouTube videos to run in PiP on iOS/iPadOS? And is there a dark mode for the app’s interface?

                • harsh3466@lemmy.ml
                  2·
                  3 months ago

                  Yes, you can do pip, you need to first expand the video to full screen, then tap the screen to bring up the on screen controls, and you should see a pip button in the upper left of the video.

                  Orion doesn’t have a dark mode that I’m aware of, though it mostly respects iOS dark mode (with annoying exceptions). Though with firefox extensions, you can install dark reader, or you can install the dark reader iOS app, to get dark mode on all websites.

                  Edit: I’m not certain that dark reader iOS app will work with orion. I don’t use the app, I use the firefox extension with orion.

            • H4mi@lemm.ee
              6·
              3 months ago

              I use Firefox Focus on iOS. It blocks quite a bit without addons.

          • Maestro@fedia.io
            12·
            3 months ago

            Yes. You can install extensions on firefox mobile just like you can on the desktop version. IIRC it’s the only mobile browser that does this.

          • Orbituary@lemmy.worldEnglish
            6·
            3 months ago

            Mull is a Firefox fork with even more privacy features. There are others that I’m sure people will chime in with.

        • arglebargle@lemm.eeEnglish
          8·
          3 months ago

          Or better still firefox focus. Ad blocking built in and it drops all the cookies as soon as you close it.

          I keep firefox on mobile for when I need to go to a trusted site, firefox focus for everything else.

          • PopShark@lemmy.world
            2·
            3 months ago

            I just wanted to drop in to say I do the same!! Especially on iOS where regular Firefox is kinda so-so (but better than Safari) Firefox Focus meanwhile is King

        • Zahille7@lemmy.world
          7·
          3 months ago

          I personally enjoy Ecosia. They’re the ones who plant trees whenever you use their search engine, and while not the best, at least their mobile app has a built in ad-blocker that imo seems pretty decent.

          • Resonosity@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            You can use FireFox and set your default search engine to Ecosia’s. Best of both world’s.

            There is also a FF extension called Search For Trees that defaults to Google’s search engine instead of Ecosia/Bing where you don’t have to pre-load each search with #g, unlike Ecosia. The Google search in this extension is a little wacky though so not perfect. Search For Trees donates to Trees For the Future btw.

          • ipkpjersi@lemmy.ml
            7·
            3 months ago

            Hopefully it will break badly enough to move people past their inertia so then there can be a more serious competitor to Chrome, or maybe even multiple competitors to Chrome.

        • Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world
          2·
          3 months ago

          I tried but for some reason certain websites can’t play any videos on Firefox without buffering every like 5 or 10 seconds for a few seconds. It happens on 100% of videos on YouTube and like 50% of videos on any other website. It’s super annoying, so back to chrome I went and I guess I’ll stay until ublock bites the dust and I have to move.

          • Kallioapina@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            4·
            3 months ago

            Thats Googles fault. Firefox has an user agent switcher -addon. Flip it there to appear as Chrome, and suddenly Youtube bufferring problems drastically lessen.

            Also if you are in EU, consider making a complaint about this assholish and anti-competetive behaviour to your country’s competition/trade authority. Also EU’s, if you feel like being an extra responsible EU citizen. These assholes at Google need to be fined to extinction.

        • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
          16·
          3 months ago

          It’s definitely more of a hassle than most people will want to deal with. But I still prefer to have it and selectively enable things as needed, because quite frankly I’d rather deal with predictable hassles of my own making than be bombarded with new bullshit every day due to ever worsening trends in enshittification.

          • webghost0101@sopuli.xyz
            9·
            3 months ago

            Tip: its not better if you know its to much hassle for most people. But dont let that stop you from posting your ideas. The more power to those that such is not a hassle.

            • Makeitstop@lemmy.world
              3·
              3 months ago

              People have different tolerances for these kinds of things. Some people never bother to even get an ad blocker. Some won’t touch settings no matter how simple. And some want to tweak and modify endlessly.

      • icosahedron@ttrpg.network
        7·
        3 months ago

        iirc some hardened firefox configs, including arkenfox, recommend using ublock ONLY. other privacy extensions like noscript aren’t worth using because ublock replicates all of their features plus more

      • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        2·
        3 months ago

        You can basically use uBlock Origin as NoScript (or I think ScriptSafe? or did they change back?) if you put it into “hard mode.”

        I personally like “medium mode”. I guess I get why they hide it behind several obscure steps, but I feel like they should advertise it more. It’s a nice middle ground. Still breaks every website the first time you go there but meh. Small price to pay.

      • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        3 months ago

        Easy to understand. People don’t like change.

        Despite 25 years in IT, and knowing better, I only recently switched back to Firefox. I expected a fair bit of hassle, and I won’t say the transition was seamless, but I was astounded.

        Those of us in the know aren’t doing any good circle jerking ourselves over our superior browser. We need to get our friends, coworkers and relatives engaged. And that should be easy if we contrast our ad-free experience with theirs.

        • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          3·
          3 months ago

          On that note: Anyone wanting the same look and feel of Chrome without ads should try Brave. No add-ons or plugins necessary.

    • Jimmycakes@lemmy.world
      3·
      3 months ago

      Nobody that cares about seeing ads is still on chrome. I bet they don’t lose more than 8-10% market share in a year even that is probably super high

    • grue@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      3 months ago

      I’ve always used Firefox on every other device I own, but now I need to do something about my Chromebook.

    • vinayagg@api.clubsall.comEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      Do you know if brave browser is better than firefox? they claim to prioritize user privacy more than firefox

      • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        3 months ago

        I’d use Firefox over brave. The company behind brave will still sell your data.

        They’re selling the tor feature of brave. You can install tor in FF.

        I like brave because it’s staffed with developers full-time to block YouTube. I don’t love their crypto, but I don’t use it, and it does pay their devs.

    • BobGnarley@lemm.ee
      8·
      3 months ago

      I always wondered about this and how all the ad blocking apps have complete access to every webpage you visit.

      Also to add to this, its made a little weirder considering ad blocking makes you more susceptible to fingerprinting.

      • Hexbatch@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        Yea, that is what gets me too, when I look at the blockers to use; Ad blockers have access to all keystrokes, forms and pages. They have access to my banking and other codes when I use them .

        While I am sure the more popular blockers do not abuse this, and the code most likely checked line by line. It’s still possible for a handful of mistakes to allow supply chain attacks or a dozen other things to happen.

        It worries me, so I don’t use them as extension and use security elsewhere

  • spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works
    120·
    3 months ago

    Susceptible to intrusive ads and viruses.

    My Windows computer was infected more than once by virus spreading ads on legitimate websites. The site owners denied any responsibility for the viruses saying it was the fault and responsibility of the ad companies. Never again.

  • henfredemars@infosec.pubEnglish
    82·
    3 months ago

    KilledByGoogle up next: Chrome. You mean they pulled the plug on Chrome.

    A lot of momentum to dissipate but the ad blocker defines a bearable web experience.

    • vin@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
      7·
      3 months ago

      Nah, chrome will block “intrusive” ads to maximise Google’s revenue

  • ngwoo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    71·
    3 months ago

    Use Firefox. If something you use ABSOLUTELY needs Chromium yell at whoever makes the thing. If that still doesn’t work use Brave. But then go back to Firefox for everything else.

      • Voltage@sh.itjust.works
        30·
        3 months ago

        I know its everyone’s personal choice and all that but in my opinion people should stop using chromium engine browsers. It was a good engine however the fact that chromium has the majority users is the only thing holding lazy developers from porting websites to work with other browser engines gives google more control.

          • stetech@lemmy.world
            20·
            3 months ago

            Most “browsers” being marketed out there are based off of Google’s Chromium project. They are effectively re-skins of it (simplifying a little). Examples include Brave, Vivaldi, Opera I believe.

            Firefox is completely separate and independent from this ecosystem (which is also why there’s a separate extension store for Firefox).

            The third and last major (>a couple % market share) engine is WebKit, which is the basis of Apple’s Safari.

            There’s tons of cool stuff out there, but it’s either niche (platform/use case), unstable to use, and/or both. Examples: Servo, Ladybird, Orion

            To sum it up, if you’re a normal, average user:

            • If you have exclusively Apple devices, probably try Safari (for the synchronization & battery efficiency)
            • If not, Firefox!
            • If you need it because of some really messed up development/compatibility issues, the last resort is ungoogled/de-googled Chromium

            While on the topic, here’s some cool browser extensions:

            Edit: fixed a link

      • Tja@programming.dev
        7·
        3 months ago

        What you are missing out on? Probably not much. Some sites might even work worse if you switch, due to lazyness or sabotage by devs.

        Using Firefox is good for the ecosystem in general, to have a counter balance to Google. I use both Firefox and chromium and see very little difference. Some extensions might be worth it (like the title says), so that might be a difference for you.

          • hswolf@lemmy.world
            5·
            3 months ago

            short answer: No

            long answer: Most people just like to shout-out what they like, and don’t want to know your use case. If you need pc/mobile sync, Firefox will be your best choice here.

      • Hanrahan@slrpnk.netEnglish
        2·
        3 months ago

        Support for Chromuin backed browsers ?

        I keep Throriim there for the odd shit ball site thear refuses but then thats the point.

    • Rob@lemmy.world
      1·
      3 months ago

      What’s the general consensus on Arch? I really like the UX, although I stuck to Firefox on mobile.

    • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 months ago

      Screw that. Use Firefox, but if you need Chrome, use brave, use Vivaldi, use Opera for all it mattwrs. Asanything that still works is fine.

      This brave paranoia is just insane. You don’t want crypto, don’t use it. You don’t trust brave use Vivaldi, but spreading fake fear is BS.

      • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
        11·
        3 months ago

        Brave altered URLs clicked to add their own affiliate links. Browsers should go to where you click. That’s like their whole job. There are reasons to dislike Brave apart from crypto.

        • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          3 months ago

          4 years ago

          Also Firefox sends all of your browser data to Google for safe browsing checks Right now.

          • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
            3·
            3 months ago

            Are you talking about this? They say it only calls out to get updated lists and when you actually arrive at a phishing page to check if the page is still marked as suspicious.

            Source: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-does-phishing-and-malware-protection-work#w_what-information-is-sent-to-mozilla-or-its-partners-when-phishing-and-malware-protection-is-enabled

            Also, I agree it was 4 years ago. That’s a fair point. To me it’s super important and they’ve probably permanently lost my trust (or at least it’s always going to be besmudged). If you believe they’ve changed in that time period (or it’s not as critical to you) then that’s fine.

            For what it’s worth, when I need a Chromium based browser because the site has a bug and won’t work with Firefox my (current) go to is Brave. I use it on a semi regular basis because dndbeyond.com works poorly with Firefox. So every 2 to 4 weeks I use it for that.

            • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              3 months ago

              You can also disable FF from connecting to safe browsing with flags. I prefer to let my DNS handle that list.

              My Work ADP portal also misbehaves in FF.

              I’ve also made FF stop using Google search for anything.

              I advocate people use whatever works for them. I’d advocate for Edge, but they have already clarified they intend to follow Chrome to the letter.

              Vivaldi has claimed they intend to fork and not enforce V3, but acknowledge it’s no small feat and they may fail.

              Operam I believe has claimed they intend not to enforce V3

              Brave goes as far as saying that they’re immune to it even if they turned it on.

              I don’t trust any browser 100% Firefox was close and is still my most trusted.

              I’m down with pushing everyone into Firefox, but I’m not loving the chrome variant hate. Use whatever works unless the browsers are currently acting bad.

      • CafecitoHippo@lemm.eeEnglish
        7·
        3 months ago

        You don’t want crypto, don’t use it.

        I use Brave as my Chrome based browser when not using Floorp but there were other issues with Brave in the past like injecting their affiliate links unbeknownst to users so they could make money off them. They have reverted that decision but that they thought it was acceptable in the first place leaves some to question, rightly, what other shenanigans they might pull. They’ve also had issues with paying out Creators BAT tokens.

        • linearchaos@lemmy.worldEnglish
          4·
          3 months ago

          Yep company’s not totally trustworthy neither is Google neither is Microsoft. By the way, Firefox still sends all of your websites to Google to get safe traffic prompts.

          Brave also got and slapped by the SEC for the handling of their crypto sales.

          The link issue you’re speaking of was 4 years ago. The CEO issued a formal apology.

          They’re a funded company they are trying to make money to pay the developers to stay solvent.

          On the upside they’re using that money to fight Google’s ad blocking and to keep manifest V3 optional.

          The way they block the ads happens outside of manifest so even if they take the manifest code they still won’t have ads. Of the chromium ancestry browsers they are the most likely to continue running long-term. They’re also the fastest solution for YouTube blocking when YouTube makes changes.

          I main Firefox but still use brave over edge or opera.

          Right now, we need all the boats we have. Not everything works in Firefox you need to have a backup,

  • t�m@lemmy.mlEnglish
    68·
    3 months ago

    Even the FBI sent a warning imploring everyone use AdBlockers

  • madcaesar@lemmy.world
    63·
    3 months ago

    FYI TELL YOUR LOVED ONES ABOUT THIS

    If you are on here you’re probably like me “the it guy of the family”

    Mom and dad aren’t going to switch themselves, remove chrome for them as the default install Firefox and tell them to use that unless something absolutely refuses to work. Pick your battles.

    • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
      13·
      3 months ago

      If you are the IT guy just buy a raspberry pi or a cheap mini pc and install pi-hole at your parents place that you can access remotely. That way their entire network is blocked from ads and you can troubleshoot from anywhere.

      • almost1337@lemm.ee
        35·
        3 months ago

        And then it gets blamed every time something doesn’t work right with the internet

        • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
          9·
          3 months ago

          I gave my parents 3 "The internet stopped working so I reset the router"s before I stopped trying. If you can’t follow the simplest instructions you’re on your own. Enjoy your adds and paying for subscription services.

      • A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        3 months ago

        Sometimes people just refuse common sense and have to be left to ruin their own lives, no matter how much you love them.

        Cause theres no point drowning yourself, trying to keep idiots that refuse to swim above water.

  • vanderbilt@lemmy.world
    50·
    3 months ago

    Hopefully the DoJ case against Google includes getting bent over a barrel for abusing their position as a market maker to force their revenue model.

    • Twiglet@feddit.uk
      9·
      3 months ago

      Yep, the main reason I started using adblockers in the first place is because I was tired of the weekly disinfection routine of my pc.

      Hiding ads wasn’t my main motivation to start with, I just wanted to keep my system safe and shit free.

    • Evotech@lemmy.world
      2·
      3 months ago

      To be fair, some add-ons are the worst malware you can have. Google is trying to combat that

      • DudeImMacGyver@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        3 months ago

        Bullshit, they are trying to kneecap ad blocking to protect their bottom line. They could have protected people from sketchy add one without fucking up ublock

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    43·
    3 months ago

    I have said this in other threads about this issue in response to all the “use Firefox” comments.

    Thousands upon thousands of school children are currently using Chromebooks they get from their schools. Now they will be forced to look at ads.

    • CafecitoHippo@lemm.eeEnglish
      18·
      3 months ago

      Now they will be forced to look at ads.

      I’m pretty sure they would’ve been seeing ads anyways. I doubt that school IT administrators had uBlock Origins as an extension that was being installed and I really doubt they didn’t have the chromebooks locked down so students could install whatever extensions they wanted.

      • madcaesar@lemmy.world
        15·
        3 months ago

        Good, smart IT would have installed ublock and locked that shit down. Saves bandwidth and protects the kids.

        But you’re probably right, most IT departments are useless.

        • Kogasa@programming.dev
          1·
          3 months ago

          Don’t think it saves bandwidth unless it’s a DNS level block, which IT should also do but separately from uBO

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        4·
        3 months ago

        The IT department at my daughter’s school allowed me to install the uBlock Origin extension last year. Granted, some extensions (and websites for that matter, no PornHub) were blocked, but not that one.

        • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
          3·
          3 months ago

          I’m willing to bet you’re the exception and not the rule. I can confirm from my own experience that we couldn’t even alter the system settings of the individual device.

          • Lets_Eat_Grandma@lemm.eeEnglish
            4·
            3 months ago

            I would personally push adblockers in a professional environment. They eliminate a lot of unwanted threat vectors.

            There is a very rare occasion where it breaks things just one ticket later and a little education and it’s good.

            • Trainguyrom@reddthat.comEnglish
              1·
              3 months ago

              Around the time the FBI quietly updated their security recommendations to include recommending adblocking a couple of large local colleges in the very conservative area I live started pushing uBlock Origin to all of their computers. And if I were higher on the foodchain at my place of work I’d be pushing to enact a similar policy update

          • atocci@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 months ago

            Altering system settings wasn’t possible when I was in school, but browser settings weren’t so locked down. Extensions were freely available to install on the school computers.

            • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
              1·
              3 months ago

              That wasn’t the case for us, we couldn’t download anything that didn’t come pre-installed. If the teachers wanted to use a website that was blocked by the cartoonishly restrictive web filter they had to wait upwards of a week because all of the IT was done by one guy who was also a teacher.

              • atocci@lemmy.world
                2·
                3 months ago

                Our IT team was pretty cool I think.

                I had a technology class when I was there that only had 6 students in this little computer lab in the back of the cafeteria. There were way more computers than than students though, so the few of us that were there started unplugging monitors from the unused computers next to us and giving our computers multiple monitors. We couldn’t rearrange the monitors since they were physically attached to the tables, and they couldn’t be reordered in Windows since system settings were locked, so we just had to remember that to get to the left monitor we’d actually have to move the mouse to the right for example.

                Not even a week later, someone from IT showed up to check on things. We thought that would be it for our multi-monitor setups and they’d make us put them back, but not a beat was missed between them noticing what we had done, realizing that the monitors were in the wrong order, and offering to fix it for us in the settings.

                • JusticeForPorygon@lemmy.world
                  4·
                  3 months ago

                  Yeah our IT guy was cool and always tried to be helpful, it’s just that he was given the job of a whole team on top of being a full time teacher, while also constantly facing criticism from the school board for being unable to keep up. You could tell he was only there for the students, because his bosses treated him like shit.

                  Except he was also a big time trump supporter and ended up losing his job after (from what I heard) bringing a gun on a school trip.

                  So nobody’s perfect I guess.

    • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
      4·
      3 months ago

      Thousands upon thousands of school children are currently using Chromebooks they get from their schools. Now they will be forced to look at ads.

      I don’t want to be “that guy”, but the ads school-aged kids are viewing come from the apps they are using, not their web browsing on Chrome.

      And they are even more heavily impacted when their favourite content creator hucks sponsored products, which can’t be blocked with an adblocker.

      I feel like I’ve dodged a bullet by not being exposed to 99.9% of the ads out there, but that’s only because I don’t use toxic social media apps or YouTube in its designed form.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 months ago

        Except no they don’t because they have to do things like research for their essays, which requires using the web in general.

        • Showroom7561@lemmy.ca
          3·
          3 months ago

          Maybe it depends on the school system, but my kid’s Chromebook was locked down, so they couldn’t really explore the full internet. Many sites are either white or blacklisted, so they were researching from a website designed to be used by students - not many ads, but yeah, going off script would get them into ad territory.

          Still, they aren’t seeing the majority of ads from the few minutes they need to look up a research topic.

    • atocci@lemmy.world
      3·
      3 months ago

      I was done with school before giving out computers to students was the norm, but my brother’s school district seems to be issuing Surface Laptops instead of Chromebooks. With Firefox preinstalled.

  • mindlight@lemm.ee
    43·
    3 months ago

    If you want to avoid ads it might be a good idea to not use products from a company which primary goal is to make money on ads…

    But hey, what do I know…

  • bitjunkie@lemmy.world
    40·
    3 months ago

    Next week: Over 30 million users pull the plug on Chrome, leaving Google execs to make the surprised Pikachu face and wonder aloud why millennials hate web browsers.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
      7·
      3 months ago

      The sort of person who would sit through a Youtube ad or is still on Reddit won’t change. They’ll just get angry or perhaps not even notice.

    • snailfact@infosec.pub
      6·
      3 months ago

      Normal people are too lazy to care they are just going to get another ad blocking extension, even if it’s not as good as ublock.

      • thawed_caveman@lemmy.world
        2·
        3 months ago

        Yeah, it takes some mental effort to change your habits, people are more likely to just install a new extension.

        BUT, those extensions are probably next, dropping uBlock is part of a long-standing war by Google against ad blocking of all kinds. So at some point Chrome users won’t be able to escape ads, and then i do wonder if they’ll switch.

        I feel like normal people who are too lazy to care would probably just use the default browser that came with their device. It will be Chrome if it’s an Android, but it will be everything but Chrome if it’s any other OS, it will be Edge or Safari.

        Now i haven’t installed Chrome in a minute, but how many devices is it the default for? My understanding is that a lot of Chrome users specifically looked for it and installed it to use instead of the default, especially Windows users. And for that public, i do think it matters, i do think they would consider switching.