As it appears that YouTube may start hunting for ad-blockers, Google continues to “experiment” with its advertising strategies.
The YouTube website will not allow ad-blockers anymore, according to a new popup that Reddit user Sazk100 uploaded a screenshot of on the YouTube subreddit. They were consequently unable to watch videos.
Following the notification, YouTube offered Sazk100 two choices: turn off the ad-blocker or obtain a YouTube Premium subscription. The subreddit’s moderator team claims a YouTube employee contacted them to check the post’s authenticity.
A YouTube spokeswoman has informed other outlets that the firm is doing a small global experiment and pushing users who use ad blockers to enable or try YouTube Premium.
“We are still determining how extensive this trial is and deciding if YouTube will formally carry out these ideas. It’s all an experiment,” a YouTube representative said.
Google has been doing numerous tests concerning advertising, including the current influx of integrated adverts into Gmail accounts. But, the general public isn’t very pleased with any of them.
Conflict With Ad-blockers
Google and ad-blocking software have been at war for several years. The business banned ad-blockers from its Play Store in early 2016, only to reverse its decision quickly. However, Google has yet to give up attempting other strategies to ensure you get your daily dosage of advertisements.
Since they allegedly interfered with advertising, Android VPN apps that didn’t use the VPN service API (Application Programming Interface) were removed from the Play Store in 2022. And unceremoniously removed from the video site was YouTube Vanced, which provided a completely ad-free experience.
Think twice before assuming browser extensions are secure. For example, the third iteration of Google’s Manifest API may make it impossible for privacy solutions like uBlock Origin to function since it would remove “key read and modify data permissions.”
Intrusive
This move would be better if YouTube advertisements weren’t bothersome. Regrettably, they are. Screenshots from Twitter and Reddit posts have revealed that some videos can have up to 10 consecutive unskippable adverts.
A YouTube representative claimed that the unskippable commercials were part of an experiment when they first appeared in late 2022. So it’s plausible that Google is speaking the truth and has no desire to make any changes.
But if it goes into effect, one has to question if this will all end up being some bizarre game of cat and mouse where coders find a way to get around YouTube’s ad-blocker detector just for the site to keep tightening up its security measures.
Online intrusive advertising has gotten so terrible that even the FBI has advised individuals to use an ad-blocker.