Most people still haven’t heard of Manifest V3, so if you are one of those not using Firefox, this is for you.
If you’ve been on YouTube or Reddit August last year, you might’ve seen this screen yourself, or a screenshot of someone else getting it. This of course, I am talking about the infamous YouTube ad blocker blocker popup, discussion exploded on Reddit mostly consisting of people complaining about ads, as well as an angry mob storming r/memes, turning it into a Firefox propaganda centre.
About a month later, different adblockrs eventually found their way of bypassing detection, and they work on YouTube again. So natrually Redditors thought they’ve won another war against big tech, completely ignoring Google’s original plan to kill off adblockers by June this year.
So all extensions, including adblockers follows a specification called the Manifest V2. The Manifest allows extensions to do certain things, say accessing browser tabs or to change browser settings. All while putting some limitations, and prevent extensions from doing crazy stuff like installing a virus to your system. But too much limitation, is what pisses off many extension developers about the upcoming ManifestV3.
In this article written by the EFF, they interviewed developers responsible for popular extensions, where most described ManifestV3 as a downgrade, with some accused it for being purposefully bad. I particularly like this one from the creator of SingleFile, “I consider the migration to Manifest V3 to be a major regression from a functional and technical point of view.”
After an update in June this year, a feature called the WebRequest API will be removed, and the adblockers and tracker blockers that depend on this feature will stop working. Since the business model of Google is to track your online activity and then show you personalised ads, it is not difficult to see why this feature is removed.
Not only are they sacrifising user experience for monetary gain, they are forcing the same update on all Chromium browsers as well. I am hereby devastated to inform you that this is not the first time they have done it, and it will not be the last time they will do it.
But there are also good news, non-Chromium browsers will not be affected by the Manifest V3, and if you are already using one, you will be exempt from any future nonsense Google throws in your way. So if you are considering switching to one, unless Safari is your goto browser, which lacks competent extensions support, you can still get your adblockers, another adblockers, all the adblockers.
So are you going to make the switch before the update? Let me know in the comments down below, anyways I will be seeing you in two weeks, have a good one.
An article for more my ranting needs https://gmtex.siri.sh/fs/1/School/Y12/Cssoc/chromium.html
I don’t care I use Internet Explorer
Which uses Chrimium as its core with slightly different window dressing on top.
Since 2020, apparently…I didn’t know
You’re thinking of Edge, not Internet explorer
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He’s contributing a useful video, you’re contributing useless vitriol.
Here’s the video script: https://gmtex.siri.sh/fs/1/Shared/scripts/chrome-final.html
Here’s an extra 2000 word article for your enjoyment: https://gmtex.siri.sh/fs/1/School/Y12/Cssoc/chromium.html
Just because we’re old farts that don’t really appreciate video as a medium doesn’t mean it’s not valid for some.
I despise video… The only time I tolerate it is when the subject requires it.
But as a technical instructor I can say you are spot on.
Everyone learns differently, we all fall into a few broad categories of learning styles. Some people need the visualization that video provides.
Already moved to Firefox on my phone. The only browser on mobile that I know of that supports extensions, giving me ad-free youtube and dark mode on websites ever since vanced was shut down.
someone rebooted the project as youtube revanced, someone was even kind enough to build all the apks and post them on github (idk if they are safe, but i use them anyways)
I have one word for you, my brother:
Revanced.
I tried revanced for a while. It worked for a little and one day videos were suddenly buffering for 5 minutes at a time after around a minute of playing. I read online that it might have been yt measures against using a client like this (changing account or logging out didnt do anything. Browser played the videos fine)
Firefox with adblocker and the extension to be able to play in the background has been my savior. Works flawlessly.
It was, and it was after 30 seconds. You install the updated revanced, and turn on app version spoofing in the settings and no more buffer issue.
Thank you, that worked. At least for the last few days.
Every other month, YT update something that break Revanced.
So I just went to the Revanced app to see what’s the newest recommended version of YT to download and patch. Then a quick reinstall and everything is back to normal. Don’t even have to re-login.
Been doing that for over a year. Imo, the native app’s experience is always a thousand times better than the mobile web browser.
My phone uses a split APK which requires root using revanced, but my work profile blocks rooting ;_;
I could just download the APKs manually but a lot more effort than using Firefox ngl
Revanced doesn’t require root. You download the Revanced app from official site then open it and choose YouTube. It’ll tell you what’s the latest recommended version of YT to use. You download that exact version from APKpure. Use Revanced to patch the YT app (I just use default) and install. That’s it. No root.
Also it requires their new Revanced Gapps package if you want to login to YT (it’ll ask and point you to download link if you don’t have it)
Whats the difference between using Revanced or NewPipe?
I personally enjoy connecting to Invidious via Clipious. On my Debian laptop, I use FreeTube for the same, although I think a web-hosted frontend for Invidious directly loads videos way faster.
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I keep Cromite (on Android) and Chromium (pc) around for those sites that are so poorly coded I have to use a chrome-engined browser.
It’s really annoying.
At least those 2 browsers are fast (and I keep history turned off because I only use them for crappy websites).
Cromite is available on PC (Linux and Windows) and Ungoogled Chromium is chromium without any google (drop in replacement)
Will the manifest v3 also bork ungoogled chromium?
Same. It was definitely an adjustment as a former ChromeOS user. There were some minor issues like getting playback for streaming services and maybe 1-2% of the unique websites I visit not being built properly for Firefox but it’s pretty infrequent and you develop a quick workflow to resolve the issues. I have a backup version of Chromium that I use as an emergency browser.
I use a Firefox fork (Floorp) which gives me PWAs capabilities which was the last hurdle for me.
Plugins With Attitude?
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i did it, turns out all i need to do was to paste in the full script and it will do the timings automatically, sweet.
Heh, “Don’t Be Evil”
they don’t say don’t anymore
Don’tBe EvilIt’s been a meme for a while now.
No one is being forced to use Chrome.
Untrue tbh. But I see your point from a general consumer standpoint.
Anyone using a work or school Chromebook is, actually.
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wElL aCtUaLlY, i DoN’t EvEn MiNd SpYwArE oR aDs
Go home Satya, you’re drunk.
This is about Google?..
Go home Sundar, you’re drunk.
Does it affect me if I use Firefox. ?
No
nO
That’s exactly the cure, not using Chrome
No
TLDR: Google’s Manifest V3 will stop many ad blockers from working on Chromium browsers. This is to increase ad revenue. Non-Chromium browsers like Firefox won’t be affected.
Oh they’ll be affected. Swim or sink.
Maybe the only thing FF users will notice is the chrome exodus. That counts as being affected, right?
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Then you are affected
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Not yet…
One of the absolute worst choices in the Chromium browser world.
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Your browser has basic features? I’m impressed.
Firefox shall rise soon.
The only thing keeping me from making the jump to Firefox is the fact you still can’t create shortcuts to web pages that open in their own window like apps the way you can in chromium browsers. I find that feature incredibly useful so I’m sticking with thorium/librewolf etc for now. But once the enshittification is complete I guess I’ll have to learn to live without it because I definitely aren’t giving up ad blockers for it.
Sure can!
If you wish to vet the project https://github.com/filips123/PWAsForFirefox
Or the direct FF extension here https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/pwas-for-firefox/
Amazing, thanks! I’ll give it a go!
You can do that on Firefox mobile. IDK if it works on the desktop.
Why would you need to move to Firefox when you’re using Librewolf? You’re just confusing yourself, you don’t have to since it’s already a fork of Firefox.
Whoops, meant to say Vanadium 😊 I do have librewolf installed on my Linux box but it’s not my daily driver
im on linux so i use bind a command to a shortcut, like
firefox https://lemmy.mlu can probably do similar things on windows
Tried it with librewolf on Linux but couldn’t get it to work
I already switched to Firefox a while back. The new tracking system bullshit was the last straw. Chrome team is too busy trying to invasively track us rather then actually improving the browser for consumers.
