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YouTube actively testing blocking the ability to use adblockers

Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 21, 2012
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In a van down by the river
I am not surprised by this news. I figured it would come to fruition sooner or later. For now, I will keep blocking ads on YouTube. I am not paying for premium.

9to5google.com

YouTube is testing blocking ad blockers

YouTube is testing out a new feature which would block users who are using ad blockers from watching videos on the site.
9to5google.com 9to5google.com

"
A Redditor first spotted earlier this week that, on trying to use YouTube.com, a pop-up appeared saying that ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube. Videos were blocked from streaming unless the user then allowed YouTube ads or signed up for YouTube Premium, the subscription service that allows users to watch content on YouTube without ads."
 
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On my android TV, android phone, iPad, and iPhone, I have logged in my YouTube Premium account but on the desktop, I just use ad blockers, Adguard and uBlock Origin... If this is how it will be in the future, I guess I will just watch on mobile devices instead of watching on a desktop, even though I prefer typing on a desktop than on a smartphone or smart TV...

Isn't Premium the better option since the creators get more from it than ads shown on the video [since most tech savvy users have adblockers installed on their desktop browser and on mobile they use Vanced or something similar]? Why are they pushing for more ads? Windows 11 is getting worse because Microsoft is pushing more ads into it...
 
I have YT Premium and uBlock Origin. The latter blocks the following (see picture). DoubleClick is a tracker for advertising features, so why is it even there, in Premium? And the blocked YT sites? I think Premium viewers are also being tracked for what they are watching, so that Google and advertisers kan create use statistics.

dump.png
 
Apple_Robert said:
I am not surprised by this news. I figured it would come to fruition sooner or later. For now, I will keep blocking ads on YouTube. I am not paying for premium.
Click to expand...
Check out MVPS host files. It blocks adware/tracking via the hostfile

Blocking Unwanted Connections with a Hosts File

This article provides details on blocking Ads, Banners, Parasites, and Hijackers, web bugs, possibly unwanted programs etc. with a custom HOSTS file
winhelp2002.mvps.org

I was thinking of going this route myself, as more and more sites block access if I use adblock plus
 
Apple_Robert said:
I am not surprised by this news. I figured it would come to fruition sooner or later. For now, I will keep blocking ads on YouTube. I am not paying for premium.

9to5google.com

YouTube is testing blocking ad blockers

YouTube is testing out a new feature which would block users who are using ad blockers from watching videos on the site.
9to5google.com 9to5google.com

"
A Redditor first spotted earlier this week that, on trying to use YouTube.com, a pop-up appeared saying that ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube. Videos were blocked from streaming unless the user then allowed YouTube ads or signed up for YouTube Premium, the subscription service that allows users to watch content on YouTube without ads."
Click to expand...
If Google starts doing this with YouTube, it might set the stage for it to become the new normal on the internet..
 
As far as I've heard, uBlock Origin is immune to this kind of defense against adblocking.
 
So far, AdGuard still seems to work. That said, I'm having issues with using a VPN with YouTube. If I'm listening/watching things in a row, the site will say I'm offline once the first video ends. If I turn off the VPN, it works fine.


Edit: screwed up the name of the app
 
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maflynn said:
Check out MVPS host files. It blocks adware/tracking via the hostfile

Blocking Unwanted Connections with a Hosts File

This article provides details on blocking Ads, Banners, Parasites, and Hijackers, web bugs, possibly unwanted programs etc. with a custom HOSTS file
winhelp2002.mvps.org

I was thinking of going this route myself, as more and more sites block access if I use adblock plus
Click to expand...

Helm - Hosts file manager is free in the App Store at the moment. Might be useful if you got the host file-route.

apps.apple.com

‎Helm - Hosts file manager

‎Helm is a simple hosts file manager. Keep the menu bar running can be set in preferences. Keyboard shortcuts: Command + shift + O : Open System Hosts File Command + D : Duplicate Command + / : Toggle Comment Command + + : Make Text Bigger Command + 0 : Make Text Normal Size Command + - : Make...
apps.apple.com
 
maflynn said:
Check out MVPS host files. It blocks adware/tracking via the hostfile

Blocking Unwanted Connections with a Hosts File

This article provides details on blocking Ads, Banners, Parasites, and Hijackers, web bugs, possibly unwanted programs etc. with a custom HOSTS file
winhelp2002.mvps.org

I was thinking of going this route myself, as more and more sites block access if I use adblock plus
Click to expand...
Looks like MVPS is now inactive, but from my googling, I see StevenBlacks host file is active and recommended. As with anything related to networking and your machine, do your own due diligence
github.com

hosts/hosts at master · StevenBlack/hosts

🔒 Consolidating and extending hosts files from several well-curated sources. Optionally pick extensions for porn, social media, and other categories. - StevenBlack/hosts
github.com github.com
 
Personally, I will continue to use my adblocker.
 
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Youtube has gotten utterly ridiculous with ads as of late. It's impossible to watch a 5 minute video without an embedded sponsor + 2 ads minimum. Sometimes those ads are unskippable, sometimes they're 20+ minutes long, it's ridiculous.

I used to not be an ad blocker person until Youtube started putting so many ads in videos.
 
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I hopped on Youtube Red the moment it became available. Now it is Youtube premium and I do the family plan and share it with 5 lucky people in my family.

Youtube is getting ridiculous with the in-stream ads. I realize the need to make $ but good grief, a 5 min video shouldn't need an in-stream ad.

I cannot stand ads, especially for something I'm paying for.

The minutes of forced ads on ParamountPlus advertising their own shows EVERY TIME I want to watch something is driving me nuts.
 
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I'm using Steven Black on my pihole, and Peter Lowe with LS . . .

. . . I don't use a blocker (apart from the basic DuckDuckGO Priv Ess add-on in Firefox).

Just a regular user of YT (no Premium, etc.)

I have just taken it for granted that I will get a two-ad preface to anything I choose to view on YT.

Am I to assume that AdGuard and/or UBlock successfully filter these un-timely (and accoustically-obtrusive) ads on YT?
 
The only ad blocking extensions I'm using in Safari are Wipr and Vinegar. I don't see any ads in YouTube unless the creator embeds them or they give a shout out to their sponsors.
 
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