YouTube's big crackdown on ad blockers

YouTube is expanding its efforts to defeat ad blocker as YouTube’s big crackdown on ad blockers grow wider. Do ads on YouTube bother you? There is no other option now but to purchase the premium plan. YouTube is cracking down on users who use ad blockers while using free YouTube.

According to YouTube communications manager Christopher Lawton, the platform has “launched a global effort” to encourage users to allow ads or try YouTube Premium.

YouTube is getting serious about blocking ad blockers https://t.co/ZQnCMGe0pb
— The Verge (@verge) October 31, 2023

Manager Christopher said YouTube’s efforts to prevent people from viewing and listening to its content without advertisements will now go global.

YouTube’s efforts to stop people who use ad blockers to view and listen to its content without advertisements will now become global and target more internet users, reported The Verge, citing a statement from YT communications manager Christopher Lawton.https://t.co/euwLXkyK7R
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) November 1, 2023

YouTube’s big crackdown on ad blockers

If you experience a YouTube block, you may receive a notice stating that “video playback is blocked unless YouTube is allowlisted or the ad blocker is disabled.” It also causes you to allow ads or try YouTube Premium. You may receive prompts about YouTube’s stance on ad blockers while still being able to watch a video.

YouTube blocks video playback for ad blocker users

Users with an ad blocker will see a pop-up telling them to disable it or sign up for YouTube Premium.https://t.co/DDJ01OY06f
— MyBroadband (@mybroadband) November 1, 2023

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YouTube confirmed that it was blocking videos for users who used ad blockers in June. But Christopher described it as a “small experiment globally” at the time. YouTube has now expanded on this effort. According to a post on Android Authority, more users with ad blockers have reported being unable to watch YouTube videos in recent weeks.

It sure looks like the big YouTube ad blocking crackdown is here (Updated) https://t.co/7porCJtHRQ
— Android Authority (@AndroidAuth) November 1, 2023

Christopher says that the “use of ad blockers” is a violation of the platform’s terms of service. Also, he said that ads support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favorite content on YouTube.

YouTube made several changes to the way ads work on its platform this year. In May, YouTube added unskippable 30-second ads to its TV app. And it later experimented with longer but less frequent ad breaks on TV.

YouTube is probably hoping that its lengthy ad breaks will attract more users to sign up for its ad-free YouTube Premium subscription. But a $2 price increase and the discontinuation of its cheaper Premium Lite plan may make it less appealing.