Chrome users bid farewell to uBlock Origin as new rules hit

As uBlock Origin is no longer supported by Google Chrome, it cannot block unwanted content. Users are encouraged to select alternative tools, among which is uBlock Origin Lite—a new version of the tool, theoretically the successor to the original. Theoretically, because Manifest V3 doesn't allow the extension to work as effectively as it did under the older extension management rules.

Details of the changes can be found in the comprehensive documentation available on GitHub. For typical users who simply want to block unwanted ads online, the installation of uBlock Origin Lite, which operates based on Manifest V3, or another blocker also compliant with the new rules, may be sufficient. According to the creators of uBlock Origin, the new Manifest in Chrome is so different from the previous one that automatic updating of the extension to the new "Lite" version cannot be done automatically. Users must perform this change manually.

Manifest V3 is a concept implemented by Google in Chrome, under which extensions have limited access to certain APIs. Consequently, they cannot function as efficiently, which particularly affects unwanted content blockers. The creators openly state that content filtering will not work as effectively, and modifying existing extensions is not cost-effective—in some cases, abandoning the project or creating new extensions might be the better option.

Users of other browsers do not have to take such drastic measures. Firefox, for now, continues to use Manifest V2, and in the event of implementing a newer version, Mozilla has already declared in 2023 a clever approach that will not exclude the operation of currently functioning extensions. For users loyal to their favourite extensions, this may present an opportunity to change habits and switch to other software potentially.