What changes will be made to the rules for developing extensions from August 1 for Google Chrome?

Question

Google Chrome

A letter came in the mail:
Dear Developer,
Protecting users and user choice have been long-standing principles of Google's core philosophy. That is why three years ago, Chrome released an extension-based Settings Overrides API for Chrome on Windows that ensures all users have notice and control over any settings change that take place in their browser. Earlier this year, we implemented the same API for macOS.
Starting August 1, the only compliant way to programmatically change the startup page, homepage, search provider setting, or any other setting that has an API is via the appropriate API. If your extension affects changes to any of these functions, it must use the API.
Extensions that have been using the Webrequest API (or other mechanisms) to redirect search requests from the new tab page or the omnibox, must now use the search provider and/or new tab page API. After August 1st, extensions redirecting search requests from the new tab page or omnibox without using these APIs will be removed from the store.
Extensions that perform automatic redirections from a web page URL must display a prominent notice informing the user of the redirection. For example, if an extension redirects search queries from www.google.com (or any other search provider), the extension's notice must:
Be prominent: large, conspicuous, and close in proximity to the search box and on the search engine results page

• Be timely: shown prior to the user executing the search
  
• Be persistent: the prominent notice (including the name) cannot automatically disappear or be dismissable; it must show up every time, not just prior to the first redirect
  
• Must show the name of the extension (and the brand of search engine, if different) and what will happen
  
• not look similar to a system or Chrome dialog box or user-interface element; for example, disclosures in yellow bars that look similar to Chrome's yellow ("butter") bars are not permitted.
  

Extensions must also comply with other Chrome Web Store policies and Google's Unwanted Software Policy.
Sincerely,
Chrome Web Store Team

Answer 1

Persuaded:

Dear Developer,
User Protection and User Choice have been longstanding principles of Google's core philosophy. That's why three years ago, Chrome and Chrome's Settings Override API extension for Windows on Windows ensure that all users notice and control any settings changes that occur in the browser. Earlier this year, we implemented the same API for MacOS.
Starting August 1, only in the appropriate way to programmatically change the start page, home page, search provider settings, or any other setting that the API has is done through the corresponding API. If your extension affects changes to any of these features, it must use the API.
Extensions using the webrequest API (or other mechanisms) to redirect search requests to a new tab or omnibox should now use the search and/or new tab API provider. After August 1st, search redirect extensions in a new tab or omnibox that do not use these APIs will be removed from the store.
Extensions for automatically redirecting a web page should display a notification informing the user of the redirect. For example, if an extension redirects search queries to www.google.com (or any other search provider) noticed by the extension, you don't need to: Be
prominent: large, conspicuous, and nearby in the search box and search results pages
Search
Be assertive: the notification (including the title) cannot automatically disappear or be dismissable; it must appear every time, not just before the first redirect
. The name of the extension (and search engine brand, if different) must be specified and that it will
not look like a system or Chrome dialog box or UI element; for example, disclosing information in yellow bars that are similar to Chrome's yellow browser ("butter") bars are not allowed.
Extensions must also comply with other Chrome Web Store and Unwanted Software policies as per Google policy.
Sincerely,
The Chrome Web Store Team