Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

YouTube tries new way of tackling ad blockers

Trevor Mogg
By

YouTube could be about to launch a widespread crackdown on folks using ad blockers.

Reports emerged last month that YouTube was deploying pop-ups to warn against the use of ad-blocking tools. But now it’s taking the action one step further.

Recommended Videos

A revised notice says that an ad blocker has been detected, but now warns that the video player will stop functioning after three video streams unless the user adjusts the ad blocker’s settings to allow YouTube ads, or disables the ad blocker entirely.

Related

Alternatively, YouTube says, users can go ad-free by joining YouTube Premium, which costs $12 per month or $120 per year.

In a widely reported statement, YouTube confirmed that it’s carrying out a “small experiment globally” that prompts users to adjust their ad blocker’s settings or sign up for the streaming site’s premium tier.

Anyone who receives the notice but isn’t using an ad blocker should click on the “report issue” link at the bottom.

In-stream ads are at the heart of YouTube’s operation. Indeed, its notice also says that “ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide.”

Android Authority, which first reported what could be the beginning of a widespread crackdown on those using ad blockers, noted how the Google-owned company forced the closure of popular third-party app YouTube Vanced last year.

YouTube Vanced functioned as a modified version of the actual YouTube app, offering features that included ad-free playback. The company behind the app was sent a cease-and-desist letter that forced it to stop developing and distributing the software.

YouTube is always tweaking the way it presents ads, including the length and the ability — or not — to skip. Last month, it announced it was launching unskippable TV ads that run for 30 seconds, double the usual length. The ads are most likely to appear with content that’s proved popular on the platform.

Digital Trends has reached to YouTube out for more information on its attempt to tackle ad blocking and we will update this article when we hear back.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Max is now available to watch on YouTube Primetime Channels
Max on YouTube Primetime Channels as seen on an iPhone.

Max — the streaming service that houses all the shows and movies from the combined Warner Bros. Discovery universe — is now available to watch in full on YouTube. Or, rather, on YouTube Primetime Channels.

That's the somewhat clunky name for the scheme by which you can watch subscription services from within YouTube itself. It's exactly the same idea as what's going on with NFL Sunday Ticket. You subscribe and watch on YouTube and pay via your Google account. It's also pretty much the exact same thing as Max on Amazon Prime Channels. But unlike the Amazon options, only one flavor of Max is available on YouTube PrimeTime Channels. You'll get the full version, sans advertising, for $16 a month. (It rounds up to a little more than $18 a month after taxes.)

Read more
The best cooking videos on YouTube (December 2023)
Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen flipping something in a pan.

It’s easy to go down the rabbit hole of cooking videos on YouTube. From funny ones to useful videos, celebrity chefs, and amateurs, the best cooking videos on YouTube run the gamut. If you’re curious to learn the basics or improve your skills in the culinary arts, YouTube has you covered.

We have scoured the video-sharing site and found some of the best cooking videos you can watch on YouTube. Curl up with a cup of hot cocoa, a beer, or a glass of wine and prepare to be entertained. When you’re done and ready to invest more time, check out the best free movies on YouTube right now.
Gordon Ramsay’s Thanksgiving Recipe Guide
Gordon Ramsay's Thanksgiving Recipe Guide

Read more
YouTube’s enhanced 1080p video now available on more devices
A settings screen showing enhanced bitrate in the YouTube app on an Android phone.

While it's not unheard of, it was a little odd for iOS devices to get first dibs when YouTube introduced 1080p "Premium" video. But all is now right in the world — "we heard our users loud and clear," YouTube says — as YouTube Premium subscribers now can enjoy that better-looking video on Android devices, on smart TVs, and in a web browser.

YouTube announced the additional devices today on its official YouTube blog.

Read more