# YouTube "forbidding" ad blockers. Concerns, if any? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493 "2023-10-13T04:54:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/161 "2023-10-30T13:35:08Z")
Spoke too soon-for 6 days zero warnings. Then finally got the 3 strikes you’re out. Only inconvenience is that I always have to re-login while in Incognito mode, which requires 2 step authentication, despite me choosing the “Don’t authenticate again on this device” checkbox… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/162 "2023-10-30T13:56:13Z")
I’ve been having good luck with uBlock and the script. Don’t need to use Incognito. I think, on Friday, it gave me a black AdBlock screen but I just purged/reset the filters in uBlock and it was back to working. Before Friday, it was probably good for a week. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/163 "2023-10-30T14:23:38Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > “Don’t authenticate again on this device” checkbox… If you close the incognito window and open a new one, it won’t remember any of your choices. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/164 "2023-10-30T14:34:50Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > I keep going to YouTube to see if I’m going to start getting these nasty demands, and so far nothing. I’ve probably gone to YouTube more in the last week that I had in the past year. > > I’m using Firefox with Ublock Origin, running on Kubuntu. I also fired up Brave (using built-in ad-blocking only) and went to YouTube, and same result - no problems, no ads. > > Have I just been extremely lucky so far? 11 days later… I just went to YouTube and skimmed through three different videos. It’s still operating as it always has. Ads are blocked, no warnings about my ad-blocker. And to be clear, I’m not using the special uBlock script. It’s just vanilla uBlock. I fired up Brave again and did the same, and it’s still the same as well. No ad-block-blocking. No ad-blocker is installed, just what comes with the browser. If I do start getting the messages, I’m not going to care real hard about it. But I’m stumped as to why I seem to be unaffected so far. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/165 "2023-10-30T14:49:59Z")
Patreon doesn’t, as far as I know, host any video streaming services - when creators put their content there, what’s typically happening is that they are using Patreon to notify patrons of a video that is in ‘unlisted’ status on YouTube, or maybe hosted on some other video sharing platform. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > The last time they pissed off their creators, we ended up with Patreon. Patreon took off because YouTube’s advertising clients withdrew because of the things that a few high-profile creators were publishing - antisemitic or racist content, posting footage of themselves cracking jokes standing next to the bodies of suicide victims, etc. The various [‘Adpocalypse’](https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/YouTube_Adpocalypse#The_Second_Adpocalypse) events. Not so much ‘Youtube pissed off their creators’ as it was ‘creators got pissed off because YouTube revenue dried up and more the platform started imposing standards’. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/166 "2023-10-30T18:42:47Z")
A thread on Mastadon from Technology Connections about YouTube Premium. > **[Technology Connections (@TechConnectify@mas.to)](https://mas.to/@TechConnectify/111319885311126476)** > > Hi, I'm stuck waiting on laundry to finish and am bored, so why don't I come on here and write some hot takes about YouTube? > > I mean, I can think of several reasons, but too bad I'll do it anyway. > > Knowing the leanings of the folks on this particular... He mentions making more money from premium viewers than from ad supported viewers. That really makes me reconsider subscribing to premium. Our house probably watches more YouTube than anything else, so that probably ought to be what we pay for. Plus, it will block ads my kid sees, which is a good thing. If I could cancel one of my other streaming services, then I’d happily get Premium, but they’re all used, too. One big thing which I need to research is does the individual plan cover other YouTube accounts under the same login? My kid watches on their account, which is a subsidiary of mine. If that’s covered, then the individual plan is considerably cheaper than the family plan. I should just see if my new Pixel phone can get me a 3 month trial, see if it’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/167 "2023-10-30T18:44:20Z")
Huh. Ublock Origin doesn’t seem to be working on Chrome for me. Seems okay in Incognito mode, though. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/168 "2023-10-30T20:54:15Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > There has never been a time when Firefox did not have an issue with memory ‘leaks’. May be true. But this seems to be something new: a runaway explosion of memory and CPU use. Not sure if it is associated with any particular adblockers, and not sure what triggers it? I’m experimenting. I really don’t want to give up on Firefox because I don’t want to see a monopoly controlled by Google. Or Microsoft, though apparently they are using the same codebase. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/169 "2023-10-30T22:19:18Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > Seems okay in Incognito mode, though. I had used incognito mode a few times over the last several days and every ad was skippable. Until today. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/170 "2023-10-31T16:44:59Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > Not sure if it is associated with any particular adblockers, and not sure what triggers it? I’m experimenting. OK, seems as if it only happens with ‘ublock origin’ enabled. On the other hand with ‘adblock ultimate’ enabled, a lot of youtube videos just hang. Guess it’s going to be while before the dust settles on this particular war. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/171 "2023-10-31T17:40:04Z")
The issue I’m now having with YouTube is only when I open it in the Chrome browser, which was my default browser. I get the _“Ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service”_ message along with a _“Allow YouTube Ads”_ button and a _“Try YouTube Premium”_ button. The only ad blocker I use is AdBlock Plus, and I have it turned off by default for YouTube…but that doesn’t matter. When I click the “Allow Ads” button, I still can’t view the video. Up till a couple days ago, if I turned AdBlock Plus on, then off again, then refreshed with the “Allow Ads” button, it would show the video (a pain in the neck, but workable). But, now, no matter what I do, I can’t watch YouTube on Chrome. So, I had to switch to Microsoft Edge to watch YouTube. I also have AdBlock Plus off by default in Edge, and it allows me to watch YouTube. Anyone else have this problem, or is YouTube just picking on me? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/172 "2023-10-31T21:02:17Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > A thread on Mastadon from Technology Connections about YouTube Premium. I agree with him about the YT Music thing. I have Spotify and have no interest in leaving Spotify. Therefore, the YT Premium sub seems bloated with wasted money to me. If they had a “Video only” version for $8 I might do it but $15 feels like too much to ask (especially when I have other options anyway). Many of the people I watch have sponsorships and spend part of their video hawking some product or another. I don’t really mind that and don’t bother to skip them; at least the product is usually related to the content versus YouTube state tourism or car commercials. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/173 "2023-10-31T21:52:16Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I agree with him about the YT Music thing That’s part of what’s holding me back. We already have Spotify on a shared family plan, so YT Music will be completely redundant for us. If it was just me, then I’d drop Spotify and use YT Music. I’ve heard bad things about it, but for the amount I use Spotify, I don’t think it would matter. I could just withdraw from the family group, but that’s a jerk move. > [@Jophiel](#): > > at least the product is usually related to the content versus YouTube state tourism or car commercials During the last election many campaigns spent lots of money advertising to my (then) seven year old. I get putting location based ads, but is Paw Patrol deep lore really the right videos to reach potential voters? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/174 "2023-10-31T22:07:36Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > is Paw Patrol deep lore really the right videos to reach potential voters? Maybe YOU don’t care about allocation of city funds to emergency services… ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/175 "2023-10-31T22:41:57Z")
On my phone - which doesn’t have an ad blocker - youtube is virtually unusable. Every video starts with an ad which may be three times longer than what I’m trying to watch - there is no parity. Then, if the video is longer than a few minutes, it will be interrupted at intervals with more ads. And not at intervals long enough for me to become so engaged that I am interested in waiting for the video to return. Un. Watchable. If they do that to it on PC as well, then I’ll just be gone. And that will suck, because it’s the best possible resource for clips, and information and entertainment of all sorts. But I will not tolerate what they’ve been doing to my phone. Only AdBlockPlus has made it usable. If they manage to find a reasonable place in between, then I’ll respect it. I’m not optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/176 "2023-10-31T23:04:35Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’m not optimistic. I’ve been waiting for this day (not in a good way) for probably 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/177 "2023-10-31T23:37:41Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Up till a couple days ago, if I turned AdBlock Plus on, then off again, then refreshed with the “Allow Ads” button, it would show the video (a pain in the neck, but workable). But, now, no matter what I do, I can’t watch YouTube on Chrome. It’s not just adblockers which cause problems: > uBO can’t fix issues caused by: > > Other extensions - not all of them have to be YouTube related. Totally random extensions might cause the message. Most common are other content blockers or privacy extensions. > > Your browser’s own adblocking mechanisms. > > DNS blocking. It’s often included in a VPN. > > Other outside the browser protections such as: HOSTS file blocking, Antivirus/Internet Security programs and other privacy tools. [https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/17j6ygs/youtube\_antiadblock\_and\_ads\_october\_29\_2023\_mega/](https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/17j6ygs/youtube_antiadblock_and_ads_october_29_2023_mega/) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/178 "2023-11-01T01:29:37Z")
Begun experiencing it in the last 24h with AdBlock Plus on Firefox. Hitting on “allow” works every time to let it play. In general when on my nonblocked instances (Android tablet, iPhone) the ads are at the start and at (so far) tolerable if kind of unpredictable intervals. Helps that the longer ads have the “skip” options which I use enthusiastically. > [@PastTense](#): > > It’s not just adblockers which cause problems: I suppose they (a) want to absolutely know who is viewing and where and (b) want only THEIR own enhancements if you’re going to use any. I suppose that if they haven’t already very soon they will start requiring the _creators_ to chapter their content to begin with readable break points for ads to be inserted. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/179 "2023-11-01T22:55:47Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Just curious, why can’t ad blockers be set to pretend to view ads, while not actually displaying them on the screen in a way that would not deprive the site of money? I’ve been anxiously waiting for a reply to this question. Seems obvious. Web browser says “Sure, send me the video” and then pipes it to dev/null. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493/180 "2023-11-01T23:07:21Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > > [@kanicbird](#): > > > > Just curious, why can’t ad blockers be set to pretend to view ads, while not actually displaying them on the screen in a way that would not deprive the site of money? > > I’ve been anxiously waiting for a reply to this question. I don’t have a good answer as to why, but [AdNauseum](https://adnauseam.io/) sort of does that. It’s a modification of uBlock Origin that _clicks_ on all of the ads it blocks. My partial understanding is that there are javascript ways to ask what is being displayed on the screen, or something like that, so even if the ad blocker downloads the ad, the server might be able to detect if it is actually shown. Of course the ad blocker can subvert those checks… I know I’m not entirely correct (and possibly completely wrong) about my explanation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-forbidding-ad-blockers-concerns-if-any/991493.md?page=10)