As part of its strategy to encourage ad consumption and monetize its platform, YouTube is currently experimenting with a measure that disables video playback for users who utilize ad blockers. The move, which is being tested globally, aims to prompt users to either disable their ad blockers on YouTube or opt for the ad-free YouTube Premium service.
During the course of this test, users employing ad blockers will encounter multiple requests to disable them. If users choose to ignore these requests, a notice will appear after three videos, indicating that further video playback will be blocked.
Oluwa Falodun, a spokesperson for Google, which owns YouTube, explained in an email to The Verge, “Ad blocker detection is not new, and other publishers regularly ask viewers to disable ad blockers. We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube.”
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Falodun further added that viewers who believe they have been incorrectly identified as using an ad blocker have an option to share their feedback by clicking on a link provided in the prompt. “We want to inform viewers that ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, and make it easier for them to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.”
This is not the first time YouTube has stirred controversy with its ad-related experiments. Back in September last year, the platform faced criticism from users when it tested running five consecutive unskippable “bumper” ads within a single video.
As YouTube continues to strike a balance between its ad-driven revenue model and user experience, this test further underscores the ongoing debate surrounding ad blockers and the implications they have for content creators, platforms, and viewers alike.
