Browser ad blocking is now a Firefox-only story

Edge followed Chrome in dropping Manifest V2 support, which means uBlock Origin now works only in Firefox among major browsers. The HN thread on this is heavy with frustration, but the more interesting signal is what people are actually doing: migrating to Firefox, using Brave's built-in blocker, or building custom extensions for personal use.

The pattern here is platform consolidation squeezing out user control under the guise of security improvements. Google's Manifest V3 changes were framed as a security upgrade but functionally cripple the most capable ad blockers. Microsoft following suit isn't a coincidence, it's the obvious move for a company that runs an ad business and a browser.

The thread has a resigned quality. People aren't shocked. They're just recalculating which tools to use. Brave gets mentioned favorably because it still supports MV2 via an opt-out, which is a smart positioning move.