I think the main issue is most people don’t know Google is an ad optimization company. If you say it, the reaction is most often thinking you’re jabbing at them, with reason, but that the statement isn’t the base reality.
It’s pointless to bother with these settings if you’re using chrome as Google changed the terms of service a while back to explicitly track your browsing data. Even if this bug was fixed, it’s just to make the user feel better, doesn’t change the reality of things.
The more I think about this, the more I think it’s a really big problem how much Web surfing runs on Chromium. While standards are far more prevalent now than in the days of Internet Explorer’s de facto monopoly, the end result is similar- just as MS had control of the Internet through IE, Google gets a lot of control through Chromium.
The recent removal of Manifest V2 is a perfect example. A change literally nobody wanted forced upon the whole world. And while others like MS may be keeping the Mv2 code around, that won’t be tenable forever.
The problem isn’t Mv2 or uBlock or anything else. The problem is control. That one company has the ability to disable something millions of users want, across multiple browsers, because they say so.
And thus the more I think about it, the more I conclude it’s important to get as much browsing OFF Chromium as possible.
The more I think about this, the more I think it’s a really big problem how much Web surfing runs on Chromium.
It’s why I think Firefox (and forks) are the only real alternative to chrome. Switching to edge, Vivaldi, opera, Helium, brave; none of it truly gets you away from google’s dominance.
I suppose there’s always safari/webkit too, but that’s apple.
Manifest V2 is not just a plugin, it touches a LOT of the code. Keeping it in the codebase will become increasingly difficult for any 3rd party.
But this isn’t just about Manifest V2. It’s about the very concept of choice- if Google decides you don’t get something, then nobody gets it. Call it open source if you want, if all rely on Chromium then edge, vivaldi, opera, brave, etc are just reskinned Chrome with extra shit.
It’s sad that Firefox and Webkit are really the only other choices. I wish there was more. Sadly these days it’s all about fast javascript and that’s not a super easy thing to build.
For lack of better choices, I agree that Firefox and its variants are what we should be pushing these days.
On this topic, anyone know of a browser that has that “user profiles” page like they implemented in Chrome recently? I have to use Chrome for work because it allows for entirely separate browsing for each user, and I am looking for an alternative.
spyware developed by an ad company doesn’t delete user tracking data? I’m shocked
I think the main issue is most people don’t know Google is an ad optimization company. If you say it, the reaction is most often thinking you’re jabbing at them, with reason, but that the statement isn’t the base reality.
If you’re still using Chrome in 2026, this is your own fault.
It’s pointless to bother with these settings if you’re using chrome as Google changed the terms of service a while back to explicitly track your browsing data. Even if this bug was fixed, it’s just to make the user feel better, doesn’t change the reality of things.
Stop using Chrome then.
Shocking, but not surprising.
The more I think about this, the more I think it’s a really big problem how much Web surfing runs on Chromium. While standards are far more prevalent now than in the days of Internet Explorer’s de facto monopoly, the end result is similar- just as MS had control of the Internet through IE, Google gets a lot of control through Chromium.
The recent removal of Manifest V2 is a perfect example. A change literally nobody wanted forced upon the whole world. And while others like MS may be keeping the Mv2 code around, that won’t be tenable forever.
The problem isn’t Mv2 or uBlock or anything else. The problem is control. That one company has the ability to disable something millions of users want, across multiple browsers, because they say so.
And thus the more I think about it, the more I conclude it’s important to get as much browsing OFF Chromium as possible.
It’s why I think Firefox (and forks) are the only real alternative to chrome. Switching to edge, Vivaldi, opera, Helium, brave; none of it truly gets you away from google’s dominance.
I suppose there’s always safari/webkit too, but that’s apple.
This exactly.
Manifest V2 is not just a plugin, it touches a LOT of the code. Keeping it in the codebase will become increasingly difficult for any 3rd party.
But this isn’t just about Manifest V2. It’s about the very concept of choice- if Google decides you don’t get something, then nobody gets it. Call it open source if you want, if all rely on Chromium then edge, vivaldi, opera, brave, etc are just reskinned Chrome with extra shit.
It’s sad that Firefox and Webkit are really the only other choices. I wish there was more. Sadly these days it’s all about fast javascript and that’s not a super easy thing to build.
For lack of better choices, I agree that Firefox and its variants are what we should be pushing these days.
Ungoogled Chromium
Since it’s the same code base, it would be reasonable to assume it’s affected too. Would be interesting to investigate further.
I use this at work (I’m a web developer) when I need to confirm something still works in Chrome but I’d never dream of using it as a daily driver.
On this topic, anyone know of a browser that has that “user profiles” page like they implemented in Chrome recently? I have to use Chrome for work because it allows for entirely separate browsing for each user, and I am looking for an alternative.
Firefox has that. Kinda has done for a while, but it recently became more visible.
Firefox has it. But il partial to Zen browser for their dynamic routing of urls to different tab groups with attached profiles
Of just a firefox base anyway
This has been a thing in Firefox for well over a year.