Firefox Has Integrated Brave's Adblock Engine (itsfoss.com)

Article summary

Firefox has integrated Brave's adblock engine, adblock-rust, into its browser, although it is not enabled by default. The engine is written in Rust and handles network request blocking, cosmetic filtering, and features a uBlock Origin-compatible filter list syntax. This change was made in Firefox 149, but was not included in the release notes. The engine can be tested by enabling it in the browser's settings and adding filter lists.

Main themes

• Adblock Engine Integration
• Firefox Development
• Browser Security
• Ad Blocking
• Browser Extensions
• User Privacy

What commenters say

• The integration of adblock-rust may benefit users who currently use uBlock Origin, but its effectiveness is still uncertain.
• Some users are concerned that the native adblock engine may lead to the removal of support for other adblock addons, such as uBlock Origin.
• Others argue that maintaining both MV2 and MV3 support is not sustainable in the long term and that Firefox's implementation of MV3 is feature-equivalent to MV2.
• There is disagreement over whether Safari is still a viable option for users who value ad blocking and privacy, with some citing its industry-first features and others pointing out its limitations.
• Some users are exploring alternative browsers, such as Ladybird, that still support MV2, but these browsers are not yet ready for mainstream use.
• The effectiveness of adblock-rust in blocking trackers, not just ads, is also a topic of discussion, with some questioning its ability to provide robust protection.
• The role of open-source solutions, such as uBlock Origin, in providing trustworthy ad blocking and tracking protection is emphasized by some commenters.
• There are concerns that browser developers may prioritize their own business interests over user privacy and ad blocking capabilities.