YouTube has been cracking down on the use of adblockers for the past month. Viewers have been using these tools for years to successfully bypass ads. Adblocker vendors are finding that many users are now uninstalling these tools.
YouTube has started to crack down on adblockers, having done little to fight them since the video site’s inception in 2005. According to the video platform, these tools cause uploaders to lose revenue from their videos, based on the proprietary advertising model from which YouTube itself also earns its income.
Earlier this year, the video platform started an experiment for a small portion of its user base, but now it applies to all users who want to watch videos. In addition to the notification demanding to turn off adblockers when visiting YouTube, visitors are also given the option to choose the paid version, YouTube Premium. This offering is ad-free and, among other things, lets users download videos in the mobile app and play them in the background.
In fact, in the browsers Microsoft Edge and Firefox, it would no longer be possible to watch YouTube videos at all while using an adblocker, writes Android Police. On Reddit, meanwhile, there are fierce protests against the video platform’s measure.
Ad-blockers see decline in usage
Inquiries from Wired reveal that adblocker providers are noticing a decline in usage of their services in recent days, which is likely related to YouTube’s decision. AdGuard reportedly saw more than 11,000 customers (up to 52,000) uninstall their adblocker.
Ghostery noted that the use of its adblock tool remained the same, but after the YouTube campaign began, there were three to five times more uninstalls per day. Adlock also noted more uninstalls.
Also read: Facebook and Instagram ad-free for those who pay: creative with the law?