Google Chrome Update Will Reportedly Cripple Ad Blockers Next Year, Firefox Jumps At The Opportunity

Google has reportedly announced that it will change some coding protocols on the new version of its web browser Chrome, and critics say the changes will prevent online ad blockers from doing their work.

As a grown adult why are you using chrome without ad blocker??

— Sudo Swish (@swishnomiss) August 23, 2022

The changes are to a feature called Web Request, which is what many extensions use to block traffic from ads. In a nutshell, Web Request lets them look at all traffic. Starting January 2023, however, Google will require extensions to specify which traffic they want to look at.

Chrome says that they're no longer allowing ad-blocker extensions to work starting in January pic.twitter.com/XxBycXYhSX

— linuxrebel 🇰🇷🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@JamesSparenber4) August 24, 2022

Google says the changes are to improve security and privacy, but a number of critics say it’s more likely the company wants to crush ad blockers. Google makes most of its revenue from ads, after all.

The only prominent ad blocker in support of the changes is AdBlock Plus, which is paid by Google and other companies in return for letting them get through its ad-blocking filter, unlike more extensive Chrome ad-block extensions such as uBlock Origin.

pic.twitter.com/Ik03U9qkQr

— benry/dee/dogen – jeff bezos has 121 BILLION dolla (@twoonrey) August 16, 2022

Posters online who are big fans of ad blockers shared about how they need the services since the modern web is full of ads that often get in the way of browsing and decrease usability. Naturally, some opponents of the Chrome change have expressed their resentment via jokes and memes in the last few days.

Browsing the internet with Adblock off is kind of like when you get enough Bloodborne Insight to see Amygdala. The monsters are around you.

— Videosyncrasy (@gapingmaws) August 16, 2022

Many also criticized Google’s business strategy, writing that if Chrome undermines ad blockers, fewer people will use the browser.

Google may be gambling that it won’t matter, as their product is already far ahead of the competition, taking up around two-thirds of the browser market share. But competitors like Mozilla's Firefox, seeing an opportunity, have vowed to remain ad blocker-friendly — a feature that may offer them a competitive advantage.

The great thing about the internet is that you can choose to browse however you want.

The other great thing is that on January 2023 ad-blocking extensions will still work on Firefox.

— Firefox 🔥 (@firefox) August 17, 2022

Hmm Chrome is going to start blocking/not supporting ad blockers? Time to finally move to Firefox. pic.twitter.com/qW8D1lDJxc

— ChaosGremlin💉💙💛 (@ShadowDragonKat) August 25, 2022

As others have said already, their loyalty is to ad blockers over browsers. Honestly I’m surprised a web browser made by a web company who’s primary income is ads has let ad blocking be a thing for this long. https://t.co/4EiqWvYEvp

— Alan Bailward (@AlanBailward) August 25, 2022

Details still seem slim about what exactly will happen with Chrome and ad blockers come 2023, but as word continues spreading online with more and more people reacting to the news, big shake-ups to the internet might be in store for 2023.