Forum functionality, server-sided issue from recent Chrome/Brave update in early 2026

The following is a transcript of me trying to use AI to identify the issue with PoE forum interactions not working properly, like "Insert URL, Quote, Spoiler or adding item to a forum post so I could have it for sale while I'm equipping it.

I'm also having issues with scripts in Gmail and Youtube, so I'm starting from them in the conversation as I assumed they originate from same cause as all started happening within couple of weeks, and I'm assuming AI and the internet in general to be more familiar with Google- or Youtube-related issues than Path of Exile-related

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Me: "many scripts in both brave and chrome are not functioning, for example I can't change account in youtube or gmail as the drop down menu does not open, videos in youtube don't play without reloading the page"


Quick Answer
The issue is likely caused by Brave Shields blocking essential scripts or outdated ad-blocking components, which affects both Brave and Chrome if shared extensions or system-level settings are involved.

Update Brave Ad Block Components: Open brave://components (or chrome://components if using Chrome), find Brave Ad Block Updater, and click "Check for updates". Relaunch the browser; this fixes many YouTube script errors reported in GitHub issues #50218 and #52761.
Adjust Shield Settings: In Brave, go to brave://settings/shields, lower the "Trackers & ads blocking" level from Aggressive to Standard, or toggle "Block scripts" off for youtube.com and google.com.
Clear Cache and Cookies: Navigate to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, select "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files", choose "All time", and clear the data. Then log out of YouTube/Gmail and log back in.
Disable Conflicting Extensions: Temporarily disable all extensions (especially ad-blockers like uBlock Origin or User Agent Switchers) to identify if one is blocking the dropdown menus or video players.
Check JavaScript Permissions: Ensure JavaScript is allowed for Google services via brave://settings/content/javascript or chrome://settings/content/javascript.
If the problem persists in Chrome, it may stem from a system-wide issue like a corrupt browser profile, antivirus interference, or DNS problems; try creating a new user profile or changing your DNS to 8.8.8.8.


Me: "on a forum, element that should input a code on forum post does not work, the element has this command on it: <input tabindex="103" type="button" class="url editor-control" value="URL" title="Insert URL: http://url or Url'"> "


Finished
The issue with the non-functional URL input button in the forum post editor is likely due to missing or broken JavaScript responsible for handling the button's action, or browser extensions interfering with script execution.

Check Browser Console: Press F12, go to the Console tab, and look for JavaScript errors when clicking the button. Errors like ReferenceError or Uncaught TypeError indicate a script failure.
Disable Browser Extensions: Temporarily turn off ad-blockers (uBlock Origin, AdBlock Plus) or script blockers, as they may prevent the forum's JavaScript from running.
Verify JavaScript is Enabled: Ensure JavaScript is not disabled in your browser settings for the forum's site.
Clear Cache and Hard Reload: Clear your browser cache or perform a hard reload (Ctrl + F5) to ensure you're loading the latest version of the page and its scripts.
Test in Incognito Mode: Open the forum in an incognito/private window to rule out conflicts from extensions or cached data.
The tabindex="103" and class="url editor-control" are standard attributes and not the cause; the problem lies in the missing event handler that should trigger the URL insertion dialog.



Me: "require-2.3.2.js?v=63cff817ee978dae612936d4a88a95f8:5 Uncaught Error: Script error for "PoE/Markup/EditorControls"
http://requirejs.org/docs/errors.html#scripterror
require-2.3.2.js?v=63cff817ee978dae612936d4a88a95f8:5 Uncaught Error: Script error for "PoE/Item/InventoryItem/BBCodeWriter"
http://requirejs.org/docs/errors.html#scripterror
3919617?history=1:1 Uncaught (in promise) Error: Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist.
3919617?history=1:1 Uncaught (in promise) Error: Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist.
3919617?history=1:1 Uncaught (in promise) Error: Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist."


Finished
The errors indicate missing or failed-to-load JavaScript modules (PoE/Markup/EditorControls, PoE/Item/InventoryItem/BBCodeWriter) used by the forum's editor, along with messaging failures between browser components.

Fix Module Loading: The Script error for "PoE/Markup/EditorControls" means RequireJS cannot load the specified module. This is often due to ad-blockers or privacy extensions (like Brave Shields) blocking the script. Disable Shields for the site or allow scripts from the forum's domain.
Clear Cache: Corrupted cached files can prevent scripts from loading. Clear your browser cache and reload the page.
Handle Messaging Errors: The Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist. error occurs when a script tries to send a message to a browser extension or content script that isn't active. This is commonly caused by conflicting extensions. Disable other extensions temporarily to identify the culprit.
Check Console: Press F12 and look for 404 errors on the Network tab to confirm which specific script files are failing to load.


Me: "I'm having similar issues on chrome too"


Finished
The identical issues in both Brave and Chrome point to a common root cause: conflicting browser extensions or system-level software interfering with script execution.

Disable All Extensions: The Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist. error is a hallmark of outdated, corrupted, or conflicting extensions. Go to chrome://extensions, disable all extensions, then restart Chrome and test the forum. Re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.
Check for System Software: Security suites (like Norton, McAfee) or system optimizers (like Iolo System Mechanic) can break JavaScript. Temporarily disable them to test.
Reset Chrome Settings: Corrupted settings can cause widespread issues. Go to chrome://settings/reset and click "Restore settings to their original defaults".
Test in a New Chrome Profile: Create a new user profile in Chrome (chrome://settings/people) to rule out a corrupted main profile.
The requirejs errors confirm that critical JavaScript modules are being blocked from loading, which is most commonly caused by extensions like ad-blockers or privacy tools that are overly aggressive or malfunctioning.



Me: "This all started happening couple of weeks ago suddenly, what has changed?"


Finished
The issues you're experiencing likely stem from a recent Chrome/Brave update in early 2026 that introduced compatibility problems with web scripts and extensions.

Recent Browser Updates: Multiple users reported in February and March 2026 that Chrome updates caused widespread issues, including broken YouTube functionality and browser instability, which aligns with your timeline.
RequireJS Failures: The Script error for "PoE/Markup/EditorControls" error indicates that a recent change (likely in the browser's handling of extension scripts or content security policies) is preventing critical forum modules from loading.
Extension Conflicts: The Could not establish connection errors are frequently linked to updates breaking communication between page scripts and browser extensions. A known high-severity Chrome vulnerability patched in March 2026 involved extension and scripting flaws.
Action: Update your browser to the absolute latest version, then disable all extensions and re-enable them one by one. The root cause is almost certainly a combination of a recent browser update and a conflicting extension.


Me: "Is there a known fix for the RequireJS error?"


Finished
The RequireJS script error is typically caused by blocked or missing module files.

Disable Browser Extensions: The most common fix is to disable ad-blockers and privacy extensions (like uBlock Origin, Brave Shields) which block the PoE/Markup/EditorControls script. Whitelist the forum site.
Check Network Tab: Open browser developer tools (F12), go to the Network tab, and reload the page. Look for a 404 error on the EditorControls or BBCodeWriter script URL. This confirms the file is missing or blocked.
Clear Cache: Perform a hard reload (Ctrl+F5) to bypass the cache and ensure you're loading the latest page resources.
The Could not establish connection errors are often a side effect of the main script failing to load. Fixing the RequireJS error usually resolves both issues.



Me: "In network tab, EditorControls.js has the following status: "(failed) net::ERR_BLOCKED_BY_ORB"


Finished
The net::ERR_BLOCKED_BY_ORB error occurs when Chrome or Brave blocks a cross-origin resource due to security policies designed to prevent data leaks (like Spectre attacks).

Check the Request URL: In the Network tab, click on the failed EditorControls.js request and verify its Response Headers. The resource is being blocked because it's being loaded from a different domain (origin) without proper CORS headers like Access-Control-Allow-Origin.
Verify Content-Type: Ensure the server is serving the .js file with the correct MIME type: Content-Type: application/javascript. An incorrect type (e.g., text/plain) triggers ORB.
Server-Side Fix Required: This is a server configuration issue, not a client-side one. The website hosting EditorControls.js must configure its server or CDN to include the correct CORS headers and MIME type for the resource.
Temporary Client-Side Workaround: As a user, you can try disabling your ad-blocker or privacy extensions (like Brave Shields), as they can sometimes interfere. However, the permanent fix lies with the website administrator.



Me: "EditorControls.js has a status code 404 Not found"


Finished
The 404 Not Found error for EditorControls.js means the browser cannot locate the script file on the server.

The file is missing: The server hosting the forum (likely Path of Exile) does not have the PoE/Markup/EditorControls.js file at the requested location. This could be due to a failed deployment, a broken CDN link, or a misconfigured path.
Check the URL: In the Network tab, verify the full URL of the failed request. It might be pointing to an outdated or incorrect domain (e.g., a CDN like hwcdn.net or poecdn.com that is blocked or down).
Wait for a Fix: This is a server-side issue that requires the website administrator to resolve. There is no client-side workaround other than waiting for the file to be restored.


Me: "It is pointing to web.poecdn.com"



Finished
The 404 Not Found error for EditorControls.js on web.poecdn.com indicates the file is missing from the CDN.

CDN or Server Issue: The web.poecdn.com domain is experiencing problems, with status reports showing it was down as recently as February 2026. A 404 error means the server received the request but the specific file does not exist at that location.
Common Causes: This can be due to a misconfigured deployment, a failed file upload, or the file being removed or renamed.
User Action: This is a server-side problem. There is no direct fix for users. Try clearing your browser cache and hard reloading the page (Ctrl+F5). The issue must be resolved by the Path of Exile development team by restoring the missing file on their CDN.

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I'm posting this for the developers managing the forum code, as the issue seems to be server-sided