Google looks to be fully shutting down unsupported extensions and ad blockers in Chrome – which might push some folks to switch to Firefox
www.techradar.com
Manifesting a future where Firefox is more successful?

Clearly, Google is serious about trying to oust ad blockers from its browser, or at least those extensions with fuller (V2) levels of functionality. One of the crucial twists with V3 is that it prevents the use of remotely hosted code – as a security measure – but this also means ad blockers can’t update their filter lists without going through Google’s review process. What does that mean? Way slower updates for said filters, which hampers the ability of the ad-blocking extension to keep up with the necessary changes to stay effective.

(This isn’t just about browsers, either, as the war on advert dodgers extends to YouTube, too, as we’ve seen in recent months).

At any rate, Google is playing with fire here somewhat – or Firefox, perhaps we should say – as this may be the shove some folks need to get them considering another of the best web browsers out there aside from Chrome. Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, has vowed to maintain support for V2 extensions, while introducing support for V3 alongside to give folks a choice (now there’s a radical idea).

  • Harvey656@lemmy.worldEnglish
    43·
    2 months ago

    While this will drive some users to Firefox, we all know it won’t be enough. Too many people simple don’t know, or don’t care, it won’t affect their lives in any meaningful way, or so they will believe. Google will be harming the tech illiterate and normies (sorry for the slur) because money, bullshit, and to drive the stake deeper into the monopoly. If you have older family members using chrome, sit them down and explain to them the dangers of the internet without adblock.

    • SSTF@lemmy.worldEnglish
      18·
      2 months ago

      It gets me thinking. Tech literate people are the types to install blockers, and would be the same type of people both motivated and knowledgeable about how to switch browsers. On the line of thinking it seems like it is just going to drive them away from Chrome. Tech illiterate people remain unaffected since they are getting ads anyway.

      But then on the other hand, if someone is tech literate then why are they even still using Chrome? Does such a person value whatever advantage Chrome theoretically provides over their ad-blocking?

      • shneancy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        171·
        2 months ago

        as a chromium browser user - i’ve been meaning to switch to firefox, and i know it’ll take me maybe a day, but it feels like so much workkkk. In a similar fashion i’ve been meaning to switch to Linux for ages too. I guess it just hasn’t gotten bad enough for me to take action

        as long as my adblockers & script blockers work, i’m not forced to upgrade to win11, and win10 still has security updates i don’t think it’s pushing on my discomfort buttons strong enough. I know the day will come, but like with a lot of things in my life - why do something today when i can do it tomorrow?

        • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          5·
          2 months ago

          if that helps, switching browsers is a lot easier than switching your OS. the automatic import brings over most of your data (bookmarks, passwords, history, …), and you only need to handle the addons, if you had any, and the browser settings if you need anything from there

        • wewbullEnglish
          51·
          2 months ago

          What do you mean “work”? What is it that needs to move?

          You just fire up Firefox and start using it. It’ll even scrape your chrome setup to move bookmarks and stuff over.

          It’s not an OS. It’s an application.

          • shneancy@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            i don’t use chrome itself. i have a lot of saved things, roughly a million tabs open at every moment, and passwords saved which i do not remember

            • wanderingmagus@lemm.eeEnglish
              2·
              2 months ago

              There’s extensions to export all your open tabs and then a similar extension to import those tabs and open them as a session in Firefox. Source: I, too, have a million tabs open at every moment, and had to do that to transition myself. Same for exporting/importing passwords.

            • Hadriscus@lemm.eeEnglish
              1·
              2 months ago

              This is all mostly automatically transfered over… I don’t know about passwords though

              • Billiam@lemmy.worldEnglish
                4·
                2 months ago

                I’m not sure if Firefox pulls passwords when you import your data, but you can manually export passwords from Chrome and import them into Firefox.

            • wewbullEnglish
              13·
              2 months ago

              If you have tabs like that, they’re not “open”. They are crumbs left as you wandered the internet. You’re not going back to them. Do yourself a favour and close them.

              It’s like having thousands of unread emails in your inbox. At some point you have to stop kidding yourself you’re going to read them.

        • jape@infosec.pubEnglish
          4·
          2 months ago

          I feel you. It’s vey much a convenience thing, and sitting down with something you’re used to.

        • Yi K@lemmy.worldEnglish
          52·
          2 months ago

          That’s some procrastination going on. Sometimes you should force yourself to start doing something for a minute or so and things will eventually change.

        • alphabethunter@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          I use Opera for myself, but I have to use Chrome for work reasons (user profiles for different work areas based on whatever email is being used at the company computer). Thing is, Firefox also lacks the feature that makes me use Opera: speed dial. My Opera starting page is my speed dials, and speed dials are 10x better than just bookmarks, and I wouldn’t want to go through all the trouble of transfering literally hundreds of saved pages to standard bookmarks. But, if ublock fully stops working, guess I’ll have no choice.

          • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            I don’t know what exactly speed dialsare in opera, but firefox’s homepage can show website tiles in multiple rows

    • forgotaboutlaye@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      2 months ago

      If you have older family members, you could try just installing Firefox for them and tell them it’s their internet now. This worked for me parents.