What r the pros and cons of chrome's MV3 extensions

Rock.87

What r the pros and cons of chrome's MV3 extensions , why chrome is jumping to that ?

Alexandru_BD

Hello,

You can find more information about MV3 here:

https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/what-is-mv3

I've found another interesting article by AdGuard:

https://adguard.com/en/blog/chrome-manifest-v3-where-we-stand.html?

Now, I'm not a specialist here, but I think the transition to MV3 obviously aims to to enhance security, privacy, and performance. But like with all changes, this shift introduces both advantages and disadvantages for developers and users. On the plus side, MV3 prohibits the use of remotely hosted code, ensuring that all extension code is included within the extension package and subject to Chrome Store review. This reduces the risk of malicious code execution. Then, by replacing persistent background pages with service workers that activate only when needed, MV3 reduces resource consumption, leading to better browser performance. Furthermore, MV3 introduces a more standardized extension platform, facilitating cross-browser compatibility and simplifying the development process. So, it provides an unified platform. On the other hand, developers face significant refactoring to adapt existing extensions to MV3, which can be time-consuming and complex. And according to the available information, the restrictions imposed by MV3 may hinder the development of new features, as extensions have less control over network requests and cannot execute remotely hosted code.

Regards

Alexandru_BD

If you ask me, I think adblockers will still work as designed. But there may be some constraints. I think there's a chance they may be may be less effective in scenarios requiring dynamic blocking or dealing with websites using advanced ad-loading techniques. For example, predefined rule sets allow basic ad-blocking but might miss sophisticated ads or trackers that dynamically generate URLs. Then, features like cosmetic filtering (removing on-page elements) and dynamic, s.c.r.i.p.t-based blocking may become harder to implement due to MV3's restrictions.
It's also possible that advanced users who rely on highly customizable ad-blockers (e.g., uBlock Origin) may find fewer options under MV3.

On topic, I found another interesting article here:

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2490090/google-warns-chrome-users-that-ad-blockers-like-ublock-origin-will-soon-be-removed.html

I guess time will tell and we'll just have to wait and see how this unfolds.

Rock.87

https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/346851#Comment_346851

Thank you for the detailed response. Could you please elaborate on how this would impact ad-blocking, particularly on YouTube? Will ad-blockers still be effective, or will there be challenges in blocking ads

Alexandru_BD

That I'm afraid I can't predict.. maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can jump in to share their opinion on this. But I think we need to keep in mind that many content creators earn a living through advertisements on their profiles, particularly on platforms like YouTube. As far as I know, YouTube's Partner Program allows creators to monetize their content by displaying ads, with revenue shared between the platform and the creator. Usually, the income a creator earns from ads depends on several factors, including the number of views, viewer engagement, content niche, and the demographics of the audience.

Ad blockers can significantly impact YouTube's ad revenue and, consequently, the earnings of content creators. Users employing ad blockers do not see advertisements, which reduces the number of ad impressions and clicks. This decline directly affects the revenue generated from ads. In response, YouTube has taken measures to counter the use of ad blockers. For example, if I remember correctly, in 2023 YouTube began blocking access to content for users with ad blockers enabled, encouraging them to disable the blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.

So, if you don't wish to see ads on YouTube, I think the best way would be to upgrade to Premium in this case, and you won't have to worry about the efficiency of ad-blockers, since you won't need them anymore, at least not for this platform.