YouTube Crackdown on Ad Blockers Goes Global, Urges Ad Views

YouTube is escalating its actions against the use of ad blockers by users. You may have noticed recently that ad block messages have been going up, only allowing you a handful of more videos before videos would cease. Even some ad blocker workarounds no longer work.

According to a statement provided to The Verge by Christopher Lawton, YouTube’s communications manager, the platform has initiated a “global effort” to persuade users to either enable ads or opt for YouTube Premium.

Users who encounter YouTube’s anti-ad blocker measures will see a notice stating, “video playback is blocked unless YouTube is allowlisted or the ad blocker is disabled.” The notice also provides an option to permit ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium. While some users may still be able to view videos despite the warning, others report being consistently blocked from viewing content.

“Ads support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favourite content on YouTube,” said Christopher Lawton, YouTube’s communications manager. Lawton also emphasized that the “use of ad blockers” is in violation of the platform’s terms of service.

YouTube initially began disabling videos for users with ad blockers in June, describing it as a “small experiment globally.” We can confirm that ad blockers don’t work on YouTube anymore.

This move is part of a series of changes YouTube has made to its advertising model this year. In May, the platform introduced unskippable 30-second ads on its TV app and later experimented with longer but less frequent ad breaks.

Although YouTube aims to encourage subscriptions to its ad-free YouTube Premium service, a recent $2 price increase and the discontinuation of its cheaper Premium Lite plan may deter potential subscribers.

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Dany Quirion
Dany Quirion
2 years ago

They service should cost 4.99$ not 20$

Do Do
Do Do
Reply to  Dany Quirion
2 years ago

and if customization were a lot better. For example, I don’t want to see anything to do with “shorts.”

Kal
Kal
2 years ago

They make it so ****ing expensive! There is no way in hell anyone is going to pay that. Hopefully the ad blockers will keep up. I’d rather give some money to an ad blocking company than pay an evil corporation like Google.

Kal
Kal
Reply to  Kal
2 years ago

Hmm interesting. Looks like my adblocker on Mac still works. Not going to mention which one in case Google is listening, but I just clicked on several monetized videos and they all played ad-free.

Le Tuxedo
Le Tuxedo
2 years ago

Option 1 & 2: “The notice also provides an option to permit ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium”
Option 3: stop using YouTube.
Since they start implementing this, I found myself use it less and less.

Do Do
Do Do
2 years ago

Firefox with ublock origin, clear ublock cache once a day or so.

Andrew
Andrew
Reply to  Do Do
2 years ago

Please edit or remove the above. Thanks. LOL.

Do Do
Do Do
Reply to  Andrew
2 years ago

I’m always curious about the kind of people that want to block the truth, fascism is a horrible thing.

Jason H
Jason H
2 years ago

Charge like $4 and I’d pay right now. I think premium also gives money to the creators even if ads aren’t displayed.
But no, charge an absurd amount for a music service I will never use just so I can get rid of ads and nothing else, then wonder why everyone is blocking them.
And now I have to keep hitting not interested on shorts and news. Youtube and all these other companies need to stop trying to be tiktok clones. I at least use them for the simple fact they are not tiktok, which will never interest me.

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