Posted on 10/15/2023 1:11:41 PM PDT by ducttape45
The experiment is meant to urge users to disable their ad blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium.
YouTube is looking to take a more aggressive approach in preventing viewers from using ad blockers while watching videos on its platform. As BleepingComputer reports, people have been posting screenshots on social networks like Reddit that show a pop-up notice warning them that their player will be blocked after three videos.
The warning says YouTube will block their ability to play videos on the platform unless they disable their ad blocker or add the website to their white list. "Ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide," the notice continues. To go ad-free, the company tells users to get a YouTube Premium subscription so "creators can still get paid." Prior to these warnings, YouTube only showed popups to ad blocker users, reminding them that it's against the website's TOS. Eventually, it added a timer to the notices to ensure viewers take the time to read them.
The website has confirmed to BleepingComputer that the new alerts are part of an experiment. A spokesperson told the publication that YouTube is "running a small experiment globally that urges viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium." They said that YouTube might temporarily disable playback "[i]n extreme cases, where viewers continue their use of ad blockers." The spokesperson added that they will only disable playback "if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube," though it's unclear if that means YouTube won't automatically block playback after a viewer watches three videos and will give them more opportunities to comply.
At the moment, this new approach only affects a small number of users, and YouTube didn't say how many people and regions are part of the test. The website, which makes most of its money from ads, has seen its ad revenue decline over the past three quarters, so we won't be surprised if this test expands to more users around the world should it turn out to be effective.
That’s terrible... The message isn’t displayed on my screen every time. It’s displayed once in a while. It disappears when I click on the X. But, you see a banner?
I hear rumors that there are some really good audio books on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utc1RbcZ3tY
As to your comment, I do agree that visual might be better but what if that is completely unavailable? Then what are some other options?
When paper is your only option, adding auditory is definitely a good second best. We didn’t wait for someone else to do it for us. It needed to be done, so it was done.
As for ad blockers, overall I don’t spend much time on YouTube.
YouTube should offer a "Premium Light" version where you can eliminate the ads, but you can't download the videos or do certain special features. And charge only US$5.99/month for this version.
All BS. They can show ads. They just get more money for targeted ads that the ad blockers stop. They don’t need to know who I am to show effective ads.
I’m noticing the same thing. Youtube is trying to find any way possible to get around the ad blockers, especially uBlock Origin. It’s been hit and miss the past couple of days with me. I even went so far as to create a new account and clear the cookie files every day to try and throw Youtube off my scent.
But yes, it seems that sitting down with a good book is going to become the only form of entertainment we'll be left with!
Like I said earlier, YouTube should just offer a "light" version of YouTube Premium where you can stop the ads ONLY without the additional features of YouTube Premium and charge only $5.99/month.
It is getting all the more apparent that companies like YT don't give a hoot about the user. In this case, all they want to do is bombard the user with useless ads that no one wants to see and makes viewing videos almost impossible to do.
If Youtube did as you suggested, then they would be the overall winners and while we would again have a good experience, it comes at the expense of our pocketbooks. I think it's time to invest more time in Rumble and Odysee and leave YT behind.
I run firefox with uBlock Origin (default settings) and Privacy Possum
When first saw the popup I was able to click thru and refresh to get past it.
Then a few days later that stopped working.
So I moved to using FreeTube an open source desktop youtube client. That worked (still works)
Then I noticed on youtube.com, that I could get through again with a refresh or two.
So it appears they are experimenting with different techniques.
“Don’t want to pay? Then watch the ads. Ad blockers are theft.”
Don’t track me across multiple media properties then. Online Ads are malicious invasions of privacy. Ad-tech spends millions on neuroscientists to develop techniques to try and get past your limited natural defenses. All to persuade you to do something you would not otherwise do.
I created a second account and so far I've not gotten that popup, but then again, it hasn't appeared in recent days when I use my old account either. So yeah, YT is definitely experimenting, trying to find the best way to make our experience difficult.
Hence the reason why YouTube should just create a “Premium Light” category where you don’t see the ads but can’t download videos. Even at $5.99/month, it would still be a major deal given the silly price of coffee at Starbucks or Peets nowadays.
Freetube is missing some useful features.
But I continue to generally use youtube.com to search or manage lists and then copy the links of videos I want to watch to Freetube.
Also, I am gradually moving my YT subscriptions to freetube as I go so finding stuff I want to watch on FT is gradually getting easier.
Though eventually Google will probably restrict API access rendering some alternatives useless.
I’m moving my subscriptions to FT as well. Guess we’ll see how all this plays out.
YT just gave me the banner that I think you got. It blocked one video with a message with no option to click X.
It turns out, I was running an ad blocker (UBlock). I was forced to disable it, in order to watch YT.
I never logged into my YT account, though, so YT also must be blocking people who don’t have accounts.
What I've taken to doing is 1). creating another account (which sometimes works), and 2). deleting cookies. I got the "three strikes and I'm out" banner yesterday and it disappeared after I cleared cookies, cache and browsing history.
Try option #2 and see what that does for you.
Oh, and try FreeTube, see how that works for you. I’m testing it out now.
Not just youtube but I’ve run into several sites that do this
In the case of Youtube, however, I'm trying to find any way possible to skirt the problems there because there is a lot of good info there despite their efforts to eliminate it all. HOWEVER, if at the end of the day, they persist in finding ways to block me cuz I got an adblocker, then the same rule will apply, I won't go back.
Rumble is a none starter with me. I'll watch videos there if a link throws me over there, but for the most part I find their website difficult to manage and it doesn't have the same type of interface that YT and Odysee have.
I am experimenting with a program called FreeTube to see how it works out.
Well, Youtube is finding a way around Enhancer now as well. I got it installed, and it worked for a few days, but I’m getting that popup again. Have you had any problems as of late?
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