YouTube is putting a spoke in the works of video playback for users who use the ad blocker. The company confirmed a The Verge that it is currently engaged in “a small global experiment inviting viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium”.
The statement comes after some reports of a warning that video playback may be interrupted if youtube detects repeated use of ad blocking tools. Android Authority previously reported these tests, which prevent viewers from watching more than three videos when an ad blocker is turned on.
Ad blocker detection is nothing new, and other publishers regularly ask viewers to disable their ad blockers. We pay close attention to disabling playback and only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube.
Oluwa Falodun, spokesperson for Google
YouTube is toughening up its stance on ad blockers
These measures indicate that YouTube is toughening its stance against ad blockers, claiming that all those advertising spaces are essential to compensate the content creators and to keep the platform free. “YouTube's ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators and gives billions of people around the world free access to ad-supported content,” the company statement said.
In recent years, YouTube has tested users' patience by experimenting with heavier ad loads. Last September, the company slipped up to 10 unskipable clips within a single commercial break in another of its experiments. And in May, YouTube announced the introduction of 30-second ads on TV platforms.
YouTube Premium removes ads from the service (and includes other benefits like offline download and YouTube Music Premium) for $11,99 a month or $119,99 a year. Last November, the company announced it had surpassed 80 million total subscribers across YouTube Premium and YouTube Music. So while protecting creators' revenue is an understandable reason, the company still has an interest in incentivizing the move to premium service.
What do you think? Do you use ad blockers for browsing?
