Google continues plans to curb the development of ad‑blocking extensions in the browser, signaling that Chrome may change in the upcoming year. The tech giant analyzes a browser extension through a manifest, a plain text file that lists features and determines which resources a plugin can access and which APIs it can call. This mechanism governs permissions and the scope of each extension’s reach within the browser environment.
In a proposal tied to the open‑source Chromium project, Google outlines changes to a specific API, WebRequest. Because of these adjustments, many ad‑blocking features would be removed. The stated goal is to improve browsing speed by reducing the need for extensions that filter network traffic, while also aiming to protect user privacy as the browsing experience becomes leaner and more predictable.
Back in September 2021, Google published a timeline showing that Manifest V2 would reach end‑of‑life, with January 2022 marked as the start of sunset for the product. The plan was to encourage updates to extensions compatible with Manifest V2, which would stop working in Chrome as of June 2023. Manifest V3 then replaces WebRequest, integrating blocking capabilities directly into the browser and expanding control over network requests. In practical terms, WebRequest allowed extensions to observe and alter traffic between the browser and websites, enabling selective blocking or modification of requests to certain domains, as explained by Chrome developers.
The move toward Manifest V3 aligns with Google’s public disclosures and regulatory filings. Through its communications with investors, the company notes risk factors related to the emergence of new technologies that could block online ads and alter how users experience the web.
Developers who create ad‑blocking tools have raised concerns about the potential ripple effects across other browsers. Industry observers note that several Chromium‑based browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Opera, and Brave, share the same underlying platform, which could influence how these changes unfold across the ecosystem. The debate centers on balancing a faster, less intrusive browsing experience with the need for developers to offer reliable, transparent privacy protections for users without undermining the accessibility of online content.
Opportunity for hackers
Some voices warn that the same feature that blocks ads can also be misused to capture user credentials or inject additional ads if misconfigured. Media coverage highlights these security concerns as a reason Google advocates for altering the underlying API. The shift toward Declarative Net Request, introduced by Google in 2019, moves away from a live, hook‑style mechanism to a rule‑based system. This newer interface stores rules that tell the browser how to handle requests that match certain patterns, rather than inspecting and modifying every request in real time. The result is a more predictable security posture and a framework that can be audited more easily, while still offering extension developers a path to define blocking behavior within tight boundaries.
The changes sit alongside broader regulatory and corporate disclosures. The transition reflects a push to minimize risks associated with blocking technologies while preserving the essential capability to manage content loading and network requests within a controlled, auditable environment. Within software filings and public commentary, the emphasis remains on safeguarding users against tracking, misuse, and unexpected changes to page content, even as the browser reduces support for certain legacy extension APIs.
Industry participants continue to monitor how these updates affect the user experience and the broader web ecosystem. The conversation includes how other Chromium‑based browsers adapt, how extension developers pivot to the new model, and how privacy advocates respond to changes in how network traffic is filtered and controlled. As the landscape evolves, families of tools that protect privacy while preserving performance will likely adapt through new extensions, built on the Declarative Net Request framework, and through refinements in how permissions are requested and granted within the manifest system.