YouTube has recently implemented measures to address the usage of ad blockers on its platform, resulting in a notable slowdown for users who employ such tools. The company, facing an increasing prevalence of ad-blocker utilization as a means to counter the proliferation of ads on its site, deems this practice a violation of its terms of service.
Notably, pre-video advertisements constitute a significant revenue stream for the platform, prompting YouTube to discourage ad-blocker usage through various means. Confirming user observations, it was found that disabling the ad blocker promptly restores the site’s functionality.
The first method involves a pop-up message that explicitly states, “Ad blockers violate YouTube’s Term of Service,” accompanied by a prompt to disable the ad blocker to proceed with watching content. Users are restricted from continuing their viewing experience without complying with this request.
However, a more recent approach involves the deliberate slowing down of the entire site when an ad blocker is detected, characterized as “suboptimal viewing” by the platform.
Reports from users on various online platforms like Reddit indicate that YouTube’s performance becomes laggy and unresponsive when an ad blocker is active. This phenomenon is attributed to an artificial timeout embedded in YouTube’s code, simulating the experience of a slow internet connection.
Despite these tactics, criticisms have emerged regarding YouTube’s approach to dissuading ad-blocker usage. Users are left with two choices: either disable the ad blocker or opt for YouTube Premium, a subscription-based service costing KES 500 per month. This dilemma places viewers in a contentious position, compelling them to decide between enduring potentially lengthy unskippable ads or subscribing to a premium service. As more users encounter these measures, the controversy surrounding YouTube’s strategy intensifies.
