Chrome is looking to permanently drop MV2 extension

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Google’s plan to fully remove Manifest V2 extensions from Chrome, effectively killing classic uBlock Origin support by 2026, is seen by many as a move to weaken powerful ad blockers in favor of the company’s advertising business. Commenters weigh the technical and security justifications for Manifest V3 against its practical impact: less capable content blocking, reduced enterprise security tooling, and greater dependency on Google-controlled APIs. As a result, many are advocating or already migrating to alternatives like Firefox, Brave, Vivaldi, Helium, and Orion, emphasizing browser engine diversity and robust, built-in or MV2-compatible ad blocking as increasingly important.

Impact of MV2 Removal and uBlock Origin

  • Chrome 151 will no longer load MV2 extensions, so classic uBlock Origin will stop working there.
  • Many commenters say they are more loyal to uBlock Origin than to any browser and will switch browsers rather than browse with ads.
  • Some see this as the culmination of a long‑expected attempt by an ad company to weaken ad blockers; others repeat Google’s stated rationale of technical debt and security but treat it skeptically.

MV3 vs MV2 and uBlock Origin Lite

  • MV3 removes or reshapes key capabilities: direct WebRequest blocking, persistent backgrounds, and remote code execution in extensions.
  • On Chrome, ad blocking must use declarativeNetRequest rules; this is described as faster but less flexible and less resistant to anti‑adblock tactics.
  • uBlock Origin Lite (uBOL) is widely reported by users as “feels the same” and ad‑free in daily use.
  • However, uBOL’s own FAQ (cited repeatedly) says it is less capable, especially against anti‑adblock measures and for dynamic/complex filtering; differences are site‑dependent.
  • Firefox’s MV3 keeps full WebRequest blocking, and commenters state there is currently no plan to deprecate MV2 there.

Browser Choices and Strategies

  • Many urge moving to Firefox (or other non‑Chromium engines) to preserve powerful ad blocking and engine diversity.
  • Others stick with Chrome/Edge/Vivaldi/Brave for:
    • Performance (especially canvas/WebGL, complex UIs, and memory behavior).
    • Better devtools and specific web features.
    • Site compatibility, especially for Google services, some banks, government portals, video calls, and certain enterprise apps.
  • Some report Firefox is sluggish, energy‑hungry, or incompatible; others report the opposite and blame addons, poor testing, or intentional degradation by Google services.
  • Several recommend Chromium forks (Ungoogled Chromium, Helium) and alternative engines (Orion, Pale Moon, Ladybird in future) that still support strong ad blocking.

Network-Level and Built‑In Blocking

  • Many advocate layering DNS or proxy‑based blocking (Pi‑hole, AdGuard Home, AdGuard for Windows) with browser‑level tools.
  • DNS‑only blocking is seen as useful but insufficient: it can’t do cosmetic filtering, DOM‑level rules, or advanced script control.
  • Some browsers (Brave, Vivaldi, Helium, Orion) ship built‑in blockers using uBlock lists or similar, partly sidestepping MV3 limits.

Security, Enterprise, and Policy Concerns

  • One detailed comment argues MV3 harms enterprise security: it weakens on‑device inspection, stateful controls, and ad blocking that government guidance explicitly recommends.
  • Chrome Enterprise Premium is noted as now selling some capabilities that MV2‑based tools used to provide for free.

Monopoly, Mozilla, and Future Risks

  • Several see Chrome dominance creating a self‑reinforcing cycle: developers only test on Chromium, so alternatives suffer.
  • Mozilla is criticized for mismanagement, reliance on Google search payments, and occasional missteps (extension review issues, Servo/Rust cuts), but still viewed by many as the best remaining mainstream counterweight.
  • There is concern that if Google pressures Mozilla or Mozilla “caves,” only smaller projects and forks will defend user‑controlled browsing and effective ad blocking.