YouTube is implementing a change that will likely frustrate users, especially those who use ad blockers to avoid advertisements. Yes, users who rely on ad blockers will no longer be able to escape ads on YouTube.
According to a report, users with ad blockers will now see a blank or black screen before a video starts, which will last for the duration of an advertisement. This means users will have to stare at a blank screen for 6 to 30 seconds, and skipping it won’t be possible.
In recent months, YouTube has intensified its crackdown on ad-blocking software, potentially affecting millions of users worldwide. In June 2023, YouTube announced a “small experiment” to disable ad blockers globally.
Following this, in the last quarter of 2023, a global crackdown on ad blocker usage was launched. By April 2024, the company also began targeting third-party apps.
Now, YouTube is using several methods to prevent users from employing ad blockers. One method is making users with ad blockers wait as long before a video plays as regular users do while watching an ad.
Additionally, some users previously reported that when using ad blockers, their videos would suddenly jump from the beginning to the end. Other users complained that videos were muted when using ad blockers.
While YouTube has not made a formal announcement about this change, the company previously stated that it aims to make it clear that third-party apps for blocking ads are not permitted under its policies.
The statement further explained that ads support creators and billions of users of the service, but blocking ads prevents revenue from video views. The company noted that users who want to watch YouTube videos without ads can opt for the Premium service.
