Other Technology | July 6, 2023
YouTube has declared war on a large percentage of its users, and many may start to encounter difficulties in playing their videos. If you’re among those affected, you’ll likely be surprised to discover the reason why YouTube is not allowing you to watch videos. The world’s most popular video platform wants to change a deeply ingrained habit when it comes to browsing the internet.
We had already reported that in the Android TV or Google TV version of YouTube, ads would become mandatory, without giving users the option to skip or skip them after a few seconds. Added to that is Google’s intention to prevent users with ad-blockers in their browsers from watching videos. It now seems clear what punishment will be imposed on those who want to avoid the YouTube ads that pop up every few minutes.
As reported by some users on Reddit, YouTube aims to implement a three-strike policy for users who have ad-blockers enabled in their browsers. The warning screen displays a clear message: “The video player will be blocked after 3 videos.” By limiting the use of their own platform, YouTube hopes to persuade users to disable their ad-blockers.
As justification for this measure, YouTube defends in the same message that “ads enable YouTube to remain free for billions of users worldwide,” while offering the option to subscribe to the YouTube Premium service to get rid of all ads and ensure that content creators continue to receive revenue from these subscriptions.
As expected, this information has quickly spread through social media, and regular YouTube users have expressed their dissatisfaction with this measure, which is already being implemented. In a survey conducted by the specialized outlet ‘Android Authority’ with over 6,000 votes, 57% of voters stated that before subscribing to YouTube Premium, they will explore other alternatives.
YouTube’s crackdown on users attempting to bypass its ads has only intensified in recent months. The YouTube Vanced app has also recently been shut down, causing a significant impact globally as it was one of the most widely used methods to bypass advertising on mobile devices.
Google spokesperson Oluwa Falodun stated in remarks collected by ‘The Verge’ that “we’ll only disable playback if viewers repeatedly disregard warnings to allow ads on YouTube.” The impact this will have on the number of users subscribed to YouTube Premium remains to be seen. This service allows users to enjoy videos without ads, as well as offering the option to watch them offline or in the background. Currently, YouTube Premium costs €12 per month for the standard plan, although there is also a family plan available (€18 per month, allowing up to five members of the same family) and a student plan, which costs €7 per month.
