# Can I watch a video without getting blitzed by goddamned commercials? Just once, maybe?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [February 14, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308 "2013-02-14T19:34:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/1 "2013-02-14T19:34:54Z")
I realize things need to be paid for. But could I just pay a subscription fee or something? Jeebus Khrist allrighty!!
When I click on a video link, I want to see that video RIGHT FUCKING **NOW!!!** I do not want to see ads for insurance, cars, candidates, or flowers.
Some of these have an opt out where one can click to the video in 5 seconds. Irritating still, but better than the ones that force you to watch the full ad before you get to the video you wanted.
I had started keeping a list of companies that posted full ads on videos. I refused to do business or buy the products of any of them. But in a relative short period of time I had a notebook filled with over 1400 names. I wouldn’t be able to do commerce with anyone if I stuck to my original plan!
So, what do you think of my internet wide subscription idea? I don’t like having to pay extra for something I’m already paying for, but I’m tired of getting
forced to see a commercial every time I click on a video link!
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/2 "2013-02-14T19:39:46Z")
AdBlock.
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### Author:  [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/3 "2013-02-14T19:58:18Z")
You’re already paying for the videos?
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/4 "2013-02-14T20:00:11Z")
> [@friedo](#):
>
> AdBlock.
Adblock works on the commercials that play when you open a Youtube video?
What I hate: someone sends you a quick clip of something stupid-- maybe 10 seconds long, but you have to watch a fucking 30 second commercial first.
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### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/5 "2013-02-14T20:01:20Z")
AdBlock won’t work for these. The ads are videos, played by the video site in the video player, no different than the video **pkbites** wants to watch.
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### Author:  [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/6 "2013-02-14T20:29:27Z")
AdBlock works just fine for commercials on Youtube videos. I’ve actually turned it off on some PCs for YouTube, to help support some channels that I watch who make their living from the ad revenues. If I keep it on, I see no ads at all–nothing before or after the videos, and none of the ads that show up as annotations.
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### Author:  [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/7 "2013-02-14T20:46:07Z")
I used think watching shows on the network’s website after they’ve aired was a good way to cut out some of the commercial crap. For a while the ads were tolerable, maybe a 30 second ad where there would normally be a 3-minute commercial break in the show, or even an option to watch a 90 second ad up front and then watch the show uninterrupted. Not any more, now it’s almost as bad with 4-5 ads stuck in there, including stupid “interactive” ads that want you to click on what “story” to hear or whatever. Like I give a crap. Plus they are blaringly loud, just like the fricking TV.
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/8 "2013-02-15T04:03:02Z")
This is why I cancelled Hulu Plus after my free trial when I bought a Blu-Ray player. I’m not paying several bucks a month just to have more ads shoved at me. I already do that more than I want to just by having cable.
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### Author:  [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/9 "2013-02-15T06:57:47Z")
What really cracks me up is when there’s an ad in front of a movie trailer. I’m watching an ad before I’m allowed to watch an ad.
Yo dawg…
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/10 "2013-02-15T07:35:59Z")
> [@dzeiger](#):
>
> AdBlock works just fine for commercials on Youtube videos.
To support this, I haven’t noticed any such Youtube ads since I got Adblock; so yes, it seems to work.
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### Author:  [@And\_his\_buzzer\_goes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/And_his_buzzer_goes)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/11 "2013-02-15T08:39:43Z")
Exactly, I only knew they had ads because a co-worker tried to show a youtube vid in his IE.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/12 "2013-02-15T14:44:51Z")
It’s been a while since I tried this, but one of the sites to watch network programs (I think ABC’s website) won’t let you watch the program until you disable Adblock first.
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### Author:  [@XRaeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XRaeth)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/13 "2013-02-15T16:16:35Z")
I use adblock and I haven’t seen an add in 3 years.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/14 "2013-02-15T16:19:04Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#):
>
> Adblock works on the commercials that play when you open a Youtube video?
Yes.
> [@runner pat](#):
>
> AdBlock won’t work for these. The ads are videos, played by the video site in the video player, no different than the video **pkbites** wants to watch.
Yes it will. Flash video players load ads from ad networks, and those can be blocked without blocking the primary video.
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### Author:  [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/15 "2013-02-16T07:20:58Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#):
>
> You’re already paying for the videos?
No, I’m paying for the internet. I hate paying more so I’m not bugged by ads. But I would if that’s what it takes.
> [@friedo](#):
>
> AdBlock.
Hey, I tried it and it works!🆒
> [@runner pat](#):
>
> AdBlock won’t work for these. The ads are videos, played by the video site in the video player, no different than the video **pkbites** wants to watch.
No, it works great.
> [@RandMcnally](#):
>
> What really cracks me up is when there’s an ad in front of a movie trailer. I’m watching an ad before I’m allowed to watch an ad.
Yeah, real funny the first zillion times.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2013, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/16 "2013-02-16T12:16:00Z")
I have, for various reasons and in various ways, slowly gotten myself to a point where I almost never see or hear advertising in any form any more. I can go days or even weeks without being exposed to anything more intrusive than driving past a business and seeing its signs.
Every now and then, I travel somewhere back in the real world, and it’s amazing to realize just how much advertising we put up with every day. It’s constant, and it’s everywhere. And we generally just accept it without thinking.
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### Author:  [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/17 "2013-02-16T14:22:04Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> Every now and then, I travel somewhere back in the real world, and it’s amazing to realize just how much advertising we put up with every day. It’s constant, and it’s everywhere. And we generally just accept it without thinking.
My husband refuses to use adblockers, I guess because he’s still stuck in 2005 when a lot of adblockers would block things you actually wanted in addition to the ads. Whenever I have to use his computer for anything, it _blows my mind_ how ugly and ad-infested the entire Internet is. There’s just… _shit_, everywhere, blinking and flashing and taking up massive amounts of screen real estate.
His business if he wants to surf the web like that, but I’m glad I don’t have to.
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### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/18 "2013-02-16T16:25:29Z")
I’ve quit clicking CNN’s video links because of those ads. Just isn’t worth it.
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### Author:  [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-watch-a-video-without-getting-blitzed-by-goddamned-commercials-just-once-maybe/650308/19 "2013-02-17T01:11:16Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#):
>
> Whenever I have to use his computer for anything, it _blows my mind_ how ugly and ad-infested the entire Internet is. There’s just… _shit_, everywhere, blinking and flashing and taking up massive amounts of screen real estate.
I was astounded when I needed to use a colleague’s computer for something at work once and had the same experience - I was horrified by the blinking, flashing pollution (for want of a better term) taking up so much of the screen.
It had never occured to them to install an adblocker; they thought it might be illegal or something. I was very sad for them, having to experience the internet that way.