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The ongoing skirmish between YouTube and ad blockers has intensified, with reports emerging that videos are now auto-skipping to the end for users employing extensions to block advertisements.
This new maneuver by YouTube has garnered attention across platforms like Reddit, where users employing ad blockers have voiced frustration over videos skipping to the conclusion immediately upon playback. Even attempts to replay the video reportedly result in the same outcome.
While Google hasn’t officially acknowledged this as a deliberate tactic against ad blockers, its recent efforts to crack down on apps and extensions eliminating ads from its videos suggest otherwise. In April, a Google post on a YouTube Community forum warned viewers using third-party apps like NewPipe of potential buffering issues or error messages when attempting to watch videos.
Multiple ad-blocking extensions, including AdBlock, seem to be affected by this auto-skipping behavior. However, there are indications that uBlock Origin has devised a workaround for the issue.
For users, the alternative solution is subscribing to YouTube Premium, which offers an ad-free experience for a monthly fee. This move appears to align with YouTube’s strategy to steer users away from ad blockers. However, it’s also driving many users to persist with ad blockers, leading to a game of cat-and-mouse likely to continue.
YouTube argues that ad blockers deprive creators of their deserved rewards and hinder the service’s ability to support creators and users worldwide. However, with ads becoming longer and more intrusive, users perceive YouTube’s motives as focused on maximizing its own profits rather than creators’ earnings.
Similar to Netflix’s efforts to combat password-sharing, YouTube’s actions against ad blockers seem effective, evidenced by a surge in users uninstalling ad blockers and an increase in YouTube Premium subscribers. Yet, despite YouTube Premium’s benefits, its recent price hike prompts many to continue using ad blockers to maintain an ad-free experience.
As YouTube intensifies its battle with ad blockers, the tug-of-war between the two sides is poised to escalate further, presenting a challenge for both users seeking an ad-free experience and the platform striving to sustain its revenue streams.