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> Under the current scheme, any Chrome adblocker can see all of the pages that users browse; a potentially huge privacy hole.

I hate that argument if it's used to cripple the users ability to have full control of their own devices. It is NOT a privacy hole when you install software that has access to your data. If you don't want that, don't install that software. If you don't trust that software, don't install it.

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Google isn't removing any ability to observe, log, and forward information about requests, in any way.

So the privacy angle is pure bullshit.

They are removing, among other things, the ability to dynamically cancel requests, and replacing it with a declarative API. That limits how well an adblocker can function.

When users try to install a Chrome extension, the browser is telling them what permissions it needs, e.g. the capability to read browsing traffic. So you could just decline the installation and install a different ad blocker that works without that permission.

How would such ad blocker work, though?

An ad blocker that solely uses the declarative API won't be a good one.

The good ones will still want onBeforeRequest() for heuristics and dom access for click-to-block.

The whole privacy excuse from Google is intentional hand waving. Decent ad blockers will still need permissions for scary sounding things.

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