Almost a year has elapsed since Google initiated modifications to YouTube with the intent of thwarting content blockers on its platform. This conflict with adblockers began in 2023 and was characterized by notifications warning users with messages like “Ad blockers are not permitted by YouTube.”
Since that time, Google has been trialing various methods, including the integration of server-side advertisements designed to outsmart adblockers and focusing on competing browsers such as Firefox.
A New Notification
Recent conversations on Reddit and other online forums suggest that Google is intensifying its efforts against content blockers on YouTube once more.
The newly launched notification mirrors the previous one, appearing when users activate content blockers. Nevertheless, the phrasing has been slightly altered, now asserting that “Ad blockers breach YouTube’s Terms of Service.”
The options available remain unchanged from last year’s notification: users can either enable ads on YouTube or subscribe to YouTube Premium. There have yet to be any updates about YouTube Premium Lite, a proposed lower-cost subscription that would reduce ad exposure.
It seems that not all users are experiencing this change. Google appears to be testing this on a select group of YouTube users to collect data and reduce instances of false positives.
Reports indicate that the majority of those encountering problems are utilizing non-Chrome browsers, particularly Opera and Firefox.
I tested YouTube video playback across various browsers that included both native and extension-based content blockers, and I found that playback worked seamlessly in every instance.
Affected users may want to consider a few options to regain access.
- Initially, users could try updating the content blocker and its associated filter lists, if such updates are available.
- If this does not resolve the issue, accessing YouTube via private browsing mode might help, as it employs a different profile for browsing. Ensure that the content blocker remains active in this mode.
- Another approach is to test various browsers to see if they can circumvent the restrictions.
- Alternatively, users can use Bing Videos to view YouTube content. While this is not the most ideal solution, it currently appears to be free of ads.
If these alternatives do not succeed, it may be beneficial to look into third-party frontends and applications. Invidious seems to be operational again for the time being, and NewPipe for Android is also functioning.
The ongoing contention between content blockers and Google’s attempts to mitigate ad-blocking on YouTube may intensify in the coming months. Users who rely on content blockers might occasionally find themselves unable to access videos on the platform.
