To tackle ad-blocking software, YouTube tightens its thumbscrew.
Google has been experimenting with several
methods to tackle ad-blocking users on its YouTube video streaming platform. Ad
blockers are not permitted on YouTube, according to one of the initial tests.
Users can respond to the prompt, which disables access to the site, in one of
three ways. The two most prominent options to configure the content blocker to
allow YouTube adverts or to subscribe to the premium service YouTube Premium.
A small close icon in the top right corner is
the third and less focused option. Users have the option to click on the x-icon
to close the prompt and continue using YouTube.
Google
looks to be making this choice less appealing to site visitors. Instead of
displaying the close symbol straight, YouTube now displays a timer. In other
words, visitors who receive the prompt must wait between 30 and 60 seconds
before closing the full prompt and beginning to use the site.
The
notification appears to hit users of different content blockers, including
uBlock Origin. It seems that the majority of users are not getting these
prompts, likely because Google is still testing reception and the rate of
return.
Interestingly, YouTube has now also added the
timer to the second prompt that Google is trialing on the site currently. Users
may also get the drastic "video player will be blocked after 3
videos" prompt, which will lock down the video player entirely after three
videos have been watched.
The
initial version of that question included an immediate close button that
consumers could use. The revised version has the same countdown, so users must
wait 30 to 60 seconds before closing the prompt and beginning to watch the
three videos that YouTube allows them to watch before the lockdown.
The
third and final prompt completely disables access to YouTube, claiming that ad
blockers violate the site's terms of service.
The
recently posted instructions to bypass YouTube's
anti-ad-blocker prompts may not work anymore properly at the
time, as Google is making modifications all the time to them.
Users hit
with the prompts have a few options:
§
Try watching videos in Incognito Mode with content blocking
enabled.
§
Try another web browser, either one with a built-in ad-blocker,
e.g., Brave Browser or Vivaldi, or one with a content blocker installed.
§
Try dedicated programs or apps, such as VLC Media Player,
SMPlayer or FreeTube, YouTube ReVanced or YouTube apps for Android.
§
Try third-party apps like NewPipe or PeerTube.
Some content blockers
will also be updated regularly to address the support bypassing the latest
prompts on YouTube.
Recently, Google announced a pricing hike for YouTube Premium,
raising the monthly cost from $11.99 to $13.99.
