Developers’ Insight on Manifest v3 Privacy and Security Webextensions
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Date
2025-10-21
Authors
Polčák, Libor
Maone, Giorgio
McMahon, Michael
Bednář, Martin
0000-0001-9177-3073Advisor
Referee
Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.
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Abstract
Webextensions can improve web browser privacy, security, and user experience. The APIs offered by the browser to webextensions affect possible functionality. Currently, Chrome transitions to a modified set of APIs called Manifest v3. This paper studies the challenges and opportunities of Manifest v3 with an indepth structured qualitative research. Even though some projects observed positive effects, a majority express concerns over limited benefits to users, removal of crucial APIs, or the need to find workarounds. Our findings indicate that the transition affects different types of webextensions differently; some can migrate without losing functionality, while others remove functionality or decline to update. The respondents identified several critical missing APIs, including reliable APIs to inject content scripts, APIs for storing confidential content, and others.
Webextensions can improve web browser privacy, security, and user experience. The APIs offered by the browser to webextensions affect possible functionality. Currently, Chrome transitions to a modified set of APIs called Manifest v3. This paper studies the challenges and opportunities of Manifest v3 with an indepth structured qualitative research. Even though some projects observed positive effects, a majority express concerns over limited benefits to users, removal of crucial APIs, or the need to find workarounds. Our findings indicate that the transition affects different types of webextensions differently; some can migrate without losing functionality, while others remove functionality or decline to update. The respondents identified several critical missing APIs, including reliable APIs to inject content scripts, APIs for storing confidential content, and others.
Webextensions can improve web browser privacy, security, and user experience. The APIs offered by the browser to webextensions affect possible functionality. Currently, Chrome transitions to a modified set of APIs called Manifest v3. This paper studies the challenges and opportunities of Manifest v3 with an indepth structured qualitative research. Even though some projects observed positive effects, a majority express concerns over limited benefits to users, removal of crucial APIs, or the need to find workarounds. Our findings indicate that the transition affects different types of webextensions differently; some can migrate without losing functionality, while others remove functionality or decline to update. The respondents identified several critical missing APIs, including reliable APIs to inject content scripts, APIs for storing confidential content, and others.
Description
Citation
Privacy Enhanced Technologies Symposium 2025. 2025, p. 15-26.
https://www.insticc.org/node/TechnicalProgram/webist/2025/presentationDetails/136690
https://www.insticc.org/node/TechnicalProgram/webist/2025/presentationDetails/136690
Document type
Peer-reviewed
Document version
Accepted version
Date of access to the full text
2025-11-01
Language of document
en
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Defence
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Document licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/