YouTube has begun showing a pop-up to some viewers warning them that “ad blockers are not allowed” on the video-sharing site.
The banner, which you can see below, appears if the Google subsidiary reckons you’re using some kind of content blocker that prevents videos from being interrupted by or book-ended with adverts.
According to YouTube, this is an experiment and only a small number of watchers will see the pop-up when browsing YouTube.com. The box tells users, “it looks like you may be using an ad blocker,” and reminds them that “ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide.”
It also urges you to “go ad-free with YouTube Premium, and creators can still get paid from your subscription.”
There are two options presented: a button to “allow YouTube ads,” and a button to sign up for YouTube Premium, an ad-free subscription that costs $11.99 a month at least here in the United States.
Those who have seen the pop-up say they can ignore those options, and close the pop-up and continue blocking ads as usual – though for how long, who’s to say? There is a link to click if you’re not using an blocker and want to report a false detection.
What the YouTube ad block warning looks like … Hat tip: Reddit
“One ad before each video was fine, but they got greedy and started playing multiple unskippable 30-second ads, that’s when I went for ad block,” as one viewer put it. “There is zero chance I am ever deactivating it or paying for Premium now, that ship has sailed.”
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Source: YouTube begins warning: ‘Ad blockers are not allowed’ • The Register
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