YouTube Takes Global Measures to Combat Ad-Blocker Usage
This action aims to enforce compliance with YouTube's Terms of Service. The company is actively seeking to increase its premium user base, exploring strategies such as 4K video access, unskippable ads, and adjusted pricing for its premium plans. Despite its efforts, some users have observed the irony of encountering ads promoting ad-blockers on the platform.
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YouTube has launched a worldwide crackdown on the usage of ad-blockers, warning users about violating the platform's terms of service. In certain cases, the company is restricting access to more videos unless users disable their ad-blockers.
This initiative began as an experiment in June, with users receiving messages that their video player would be disabled after viewing three videos unless they turned off their ad-blockers. Now, YouTube has officially embarked on a "global effort," urging users to either opt for a YouTube Premium subscription or allow ads to continue streaming. Prior to this, several users raised concerns about encountering various warnings related to ad-blocker usage on the r/YouTube subreddit.
Interestingly, observant users pointed out that, while YouTube is cracking down on ad-blockers, there are still numerous ads on the platform promoting ad-blockers.
A screen grab of YouTube warning a user about using ad blockers Image Credits: u/Helpfullman69
YouTube has not detailed the specific limitations imposed on users employing ad-blockers as part of this experiment. In a statement, the platform emphasized that "the use of ad-blockers violates YouTube's Terms of Service."
It's worth noting that YouTube boasts 80 million paid users spanning Music and Premium tiers, as reported last year. However, Google is actively exploring various methods to increase this number. For instance, the company has conducted tests involving users paying to access videos in 4K resolution and subjected users to multiple unskippable ads to ensure an uninterrupted viewing experience.
In a bid to enhance its advertising strategy, the video streaming platform introduced 30-second unskippable ads for television audiences in May. Additionally, YouTube initiated trials involving longer yet fewer ads for long-form content in September. Last July, YouTube adjusted its premium plan pricing for individuals, increasing it by $2 per month.
