YouTube, $GOOGL, says it might make your viewing experience worse if you don't turn off your ad-blocker

YouTube, $GOOGL, says it might make your viewing experience worse if you don't turn off your ad-blocker, per BI.


YouTube is intensifying its battle against ad blockers, issuing clear warnings that the use of such tools may adversely affect the viewing experience. As part of its broader strategy to enhance ad revenue and drive subscriptions to its paid tier, YouTube encourages viewers to either permit ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium for an ad-free encounter. The platform emphasizes the importance of ads for supporting content creators and asserts that the use of ad blockers violates YouTube's Terms of Service.

Reports suggest that users with ad blockers installed may encounter delays before watching a video, regardless of the browser used. While YouTube's ad-blocker detection doesn't specifically target certain browsers, users maintaining ad blockers may experience suboptimal viewing.

The platform has recently escalated its efforts against ad blockers, preventing users with such tools from accessing videos and experimenting with pop-up warnings. Users who persistently ignore warnings may be restricted from watching videos until they disable ad blockers.

Complaints and screenshots shared by users indicate that YouTube is actively discouraging ad blocker usage, urging users to either disable them or opt for a YouTube Premium subscription.