Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#1

Post by sarreph » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 1:48 AM UTC

I never used to have a problem watching the first 5 seconds of a sponsored commercial on some of the more popular YouTube videos, but I've noticed a startling increase in the amount of ads being served to me. It is at the point where I would say 3 in every 4 videos plays an ad now. It's disgustingly frustrating.

Has anyone else noticed this?

If so, has there been an announcement regarding this that I've missed? Perhaps even something to do with Google+ IDs being used for user accounts?

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#2

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 1:52 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#3

Post by OafTobark » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 1:58 AM UTC

Users enable ads on their account I believe. If people are choosing to monetize their videos, thats going to happen more and more.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#4

Post by HaEB4zcjbp » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:04 AM UTC

https://adblockplus.org/

https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#5

Post by zmitri » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:16 AM UTC

I noticed this recently as well. I had not seen any ads for a long time as I use AdBlock and AdBlockPlus for Chrome but they have started slipping through in the past few weeks.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#6

Post by yRetsyM » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:16 AM UTC

I've found that YouTube ramps up ad volume as you increase your viewing. I can do a short session of a video or two (5minutes) without any. But if I increase that to long form content or longer session then ads seem to get center stage.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#7

Post by herbig » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:17 AM UTC

HaEB4zcjbp wrote: post #4

https://adblockplus.org/ https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl

After having used adblock plus for like the last 2 years, I disabled it the other day and have been amazed at how terrible the Internet is without it.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#8

Post by alanctgardner2 » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:18 AM UTC

I don't know why it did't happen sooner. I started pre-roll seeing ads on mobile as well, which I don't remember until recently.

I don't get why it's disgusting. This is how video creators and Google are supposed to get paid. It's annoying to me that people want free content, and they keep pushing companies to "get traction first, then monetize". This is what has to happen, or else Google has to keep subsidizing progressively larger bandwidth bills - and the people who are creating the content have to keep their day jobs.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#9

Post by dethstar » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:24 AM UTC

herbig wrote: post #7

HaEB4zcjbp wrote: post #4

https://adblockplus.org/ https://github.com/rg3/youtube-dl

After having used adblock plus for like the last 2 years, I disabled it the other day and have been amazed at how terrible the Internet is without it.

Whenever I use someone else's computer I'm always amazed and wonder how can they stand it. I have noticed people actually getting frustrated at ads making sounds and what not.

Re: Ask HN: Is it just me or has YouTube gone fanatical on ads?

#10

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Nov 29, 2013, 2:26 AM UTC

[deleted]