In an effort to increase revenue from non-Premium users, YouTube is reportedly stepping up its campaign against third-party ad blockers by embedding advertisements directly into video streams. This strategy could potentially nullify the effectiveness of current ad-blocking browser extensions. The move follows user complaints about videos skipping to the end when ad blockers are activated on the platform, owned by Alphabet Inc.
SponsorBlock, an extension that allows users to skip sponsored segments within YouTube videos, announced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that YouTube is merging ads with video streams. Traditionally, advertisements and videos have been separate entities, with ads pausing videos at designated intervals.
This new method of integrating ads directly into the video stream could present a significant challenge for ad blockers, making it difficult to filter out advertisements. SponsorBlock expressed concerns that this server-side ad integration could disrupt its functionality by altering all timestamps to include ad durations.
Last month, users reported issues with videos automatically skipping to the end if ad blockers were in use. A post on the YouTube subreddit detailed an experience where a user could not watch videos with an ad blocker enabled, as the content would fast-forward to the end upon attempting to skip sections. Others who managed to circumvent this issue found that videos played without sound, allowing them to watch the content but without audio.
These measures are believed to be part of YouTube’s broader strategy to combat ad blockers globally. YouTube asserts that ad-blocking software, typically browser extensions, violate its API services’ terms of service. In a recent community update, YouTube reaffirmed its dedication to enforcing these terms, highlighting the negative impact of ad-blocking apps on content creators’ ability to monetize their work. The company cautioned that users employing such apps might face buffering issues or error messages when trying to view videos.
Previosuly, YouTube emphasized that advertisements enable billions of users worldwide to access content for free, stressing the importance of fair compensation for creators based on viewership. The platform encourages users desiring an ad-free experience to subscribe to YouTube Premium, which offers benefits such as background playback, offline viewing, and ad-free access to YouTube Music.
Reiterating its position on third-party app usage, YouTube pledged to take necessary actions to protect its platform, creators, and audience. The company stressed that third-party apps must comply with its API Services Terms of Service to maintain access.
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Published: 14 Jun 2024, 05:12 PM IST
