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YouTube tightens thumbscrew to crack down on ad-blockers:
Google has been testing several ways to combat users who use ad-blockers on its YouTube video streaming site. One of the first tests informed users that ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube. The prompt, which blocks access to the site, offers three options to users to react to it. The two prominent ones are to configure the content blocker to allow ads on YouTube or to subscribe to the paid 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.
Now, it appears, Google is making this option less attractive to users on the site. Instead of displaying the close icon directly, YouTube is now showing a timer in its place. In other words: users who get the prompt have to wait between 30 to 60 seconds before they can close the entire prompt and start using 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.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Saturday August 19 2023, @05:57PM
- On the desktop: FreeTube [freetubeapp.io] (Freetube has SponsorBlock built in too thank goodness)
- On Android: NewPipe [newpipe.net] - or even better, NewPipe SponsorBlock [github.com] (and no "Content creators", nobody wants to hear about the shitty VPN you're shilling, and nobody cares about your Youtube income woes).
And in case you didn't know, you can import NewPipe subscriptions into FreeTube.
As long as Google doesn't break them, you needn't view another Youtube video in the shitty ad-ladden, nagware-heavy Youtube webpage.