May 12, 2023
YouTube has released an experimental pop-up window informing users that ad blockers are not permitted on the platform.
The message invites visitors suspected of using content-blocking software, which prohibits adverts from interrupting or bookending films, to disable the ad blockers. According to YouTube, this experiment is only intended for a small number of individuals that visit YouTube.com.
The pop-up message reads, “It looks like you may be using an ad blocker.” It also advertises YouTube Premium, a membership service that delivers an ad-free experience for $11.99 a month in the United States. Allowing YouTube advertisements or joining up for YouTube Premium are among the alternatives provided in the pop-up.
The terms of service for YouTube, which were last modified in January 2022, do not directly prohibit ad blockers, but they do include broad prohibitions on changing video material and evading the site. YouTube said that detecting ad blockers is not a unique strategy, and that other publishers routinely ask viewers to disable such software.
The duration of the experiment and whether subscribing to YouTube Premium or accepting ads will become mandatory in the future have not been confirmed by YouTube representatives.
The sources for this piece include an article in TheRegister.
