Youtube is now testing blocking users using ad blockers from viewing videos while offering them a choice of either allowing Youtube ads or subscribing to Youtube Premium. This is a screenshot of a Reddit user who encountered the experiment.
Youtube blocking ad blockers, users’ reactions
After the news broke of Youtube’s plan to block access to videos to users using adblockers, there were mixed reactions on social media.
Many users expressed their disagreement towards the idea, with several stating that they would stop using YouTube altogether if ad blockers were blocked. Those already using ad blockers say that they do so because ads on YouTube videos are annoying as they make it difficult to watch videos without interruption. They argue that if the ads were shorter and less frequent, they would be less likely to use ad blockers.
Some users suggest that YouTube should give users a choice about the types of ads they want to see, how long they last, and how often they occur. This, they argue, would make people less likely to use ad blockers and would give advertisers a better chance of reaching their target audience. Others argue that if YouTube were to block ad blockers, they would simply switch to other video websites that do not have such strict policies. Unfortunately, there are not many viable Youtube alternatives.
There are also concerns about the impact that blocking ad blockers would have on content creators. Some argue that blocking ad blockers would be a bad move for YouTube because it would alienate a significant portion of content creators’ user base thus affecting their affiliate and paid sponsorship earnings.
Generally, most users that use ad blockers are strongly opposed to the idea of YouTube blocking ad blockers. They suggest that YouTube should focus on improving the user experience by reducing the frequency and length of ads, rather than punishing users who use ad blockers.
The user reactions shared above are based on comments we picked from thousands of them on this Reddit post.
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