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SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

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Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#131
I really don't like how most sponsored segments are just downright misleading about what VPNs do. Making them funny doesn't change the fact that the ads are deceptive.

There's always some fearmongering about people stealing your data on public networks, but no actual substance about feasible attacks that could happen in reality.

In the UK, similar ads have been banned by the advertising regulator for being misleading, and it's about time that spurious claims in YouTube videos got more scrutiny.

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#132
post #69
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the right to watch or not whatever I want , in the same way publishers have the right to add sponsorship content on their videos, same applies to ads , if you don’t want to see ads use an adblocker or skip the sponsorship part with an app like this one. If creators don’t like it , they should find another way of monetizing their work. Shaming people into watching ads is disgusting and wrong.

> I have the right to watch or not whatever I want You don't though. You have the right to not watch whatever you want, but if content is published with the value proposition that the ads and/or sponsorships are the price of admission, then it's hard to argue that you have the right to access the content anyway. Some publishers try to enforce restrictions like that, mostly ineffectively, and it's probably only becaus…

I do though. You can't force people to watch your content the way you like. You can hope, encourage, or maybe even incentivize. I do not have the right to watch a video, but I do have the right, once the video is publicly available, to watch the parts of the video I want. In the same way I have the right of changing channels during tv ads breaks. You can't dictate how people use their time.

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#133

I'm not going to bash this or anything, I see why people dislike the sponsor segments, it's advertising after all, but as someone who honestly could not afford to donate to every single channel I enjoy watching, I'm glad content creators have a way to make money while still providing content essentially for free. I'd rather sit and watch a silly ad than just not have access to the content because I couldn't afford to…

There's at least one Youtuber that I enjoy who actually makes decent ads. I'd hate to skip over them because they're usually funny.

One of my favourite instances of this was in podcasts where Cards Against Humanity sponsored and just sent one of the podcasters toasters to review: https://cardsagainsthumanity.com/toasters/

Nothing else was said about the sponsor's product. There should be more sponsors like that.

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I always wondered if adblockers actually _improved_ per ad engagement, as users of an adblocker are opting themselves out of advertisement (thereby removing themselves from "inventory"), and seem like they would be less likely overall to engage with ads, and thus the adblocker usage is reducing the number of non-engaging users. Sure, overall "inventory" would go down, but I would expect for ads that actually ma…

As existence proof, I buy stuff I see when I'm watching TV at someone else's place or when I use Instagram (which has ads right in the Stories feed). I see no reason why I'm special since I'm a pretty normal user when I'm using these things.

I block all ads and I don't think i've ever purchased something from an AD, even when i see them elsewhere or on instagram ect.

I honestly wonder what makes me different to you? I definitely don't have self control like that in other aspects of my life. Maybe it's I'm skeptical and figure ever ad is trying to swindle me out of my money maybe?

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I always wondered if adblockers actually _improved_ per ad engagement, as users of an adblocker are opting themselves out of advertisement (thereby removing themselves from "inventory"), and seem like they would be less likely overall to engage with ads, and thus the adblocker usage is reducing the number of non-engaging users. Sure, overall "inventory" would go down, but I would expect for ads that actually ma…

I block ads because I don't have ad blindness, when I watch ads I focus my attention on it like on normal content people who are used to seeing ads don't notice most of ads

I’m absolutely not like you, I tune out ads but internalize them, but I’m happy for you that you live in this time. At least you have options to live an ad-free life. I guess you would have been the person to buy a Foreman grill and a Bowflex if you had lived in the 80s.

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#136

I really don't like how most sponsored segments are just downright misleading about what VPNs do. Making them funny doesn't change the fact that the ads are deceptive. There's always some fearmongering about people stealing your data on public networks, but no actual substance about feasible attacks that could happen in reality. In the UK, similar ads have been banned by the advertising regulator for being misleading…

I feel like if someone is hawking wares on their channel they should at least use it/have faith in it/do their research. Tom Scott has a great video about VPN sponsorship and how he turned down a sponsorship from a VPN company because of the copy they wanted him to say and debunks the ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVDQEoe6ZWY

Mad respect for him, and if he ever suggest a paid product in the future i'd trust him. Conversely i really dislike when they clearly don't use the product, or are shilling a product that i KNOW is bad - looking at you raycons. I can't help but lose respect and definitely distrust every sponsorship they have.

tl;dr integrity matters, raycons are really not that great, and i'm tired of hearing the same copy over and over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb58b7ob2yQ

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#138

I really don't like how most sponsored segments are just downright misleading about what VPNs do. Making them funny doesn't change the fact that the ads are deceptive. There's always some fearmongering about people stealing your data on public networks, but no actual substance about feasible attacks that could happen in reality. In the UK, similar ads have been banned by the advertising regulator for being misleading…

I don’t either but I think the blame is often misplaced, most of them literally don’t know any better. They go to an ad network’s website, check a box agreeing to the deal, and receive a prompt to read on air.

Now of course they should be doing their own due diligence, but this is the state of podcast advertising right now (and has been for a while, see: BetterHelp controversy)

The bullshit is coming straight from the VPN providers themselves, fear mongering for profit.

Re: SponsorBlock – Skip over sponsorship segments on YouTube

#139

I'm not going to bash this or anything, I see why people dislike the sponsor segments, it's advertising after all, but as someone who honestly could not afford to donate to every single channel I enjoy watching, I'm glad content creators have a way to make money while still providing content essentially for free. I'd rather sit and watch a silly ad than just not have access to the content because I couldn't afford to…

I think people aren't realizing that the SponsorBlock tool also isn't just blocking sponsored segments. It also has options to skip other segments too such as intro segments, self promos, engagement badgering, etc...

A couple examples from Linus Tech Tips when I compare the video times with all these segments skipped versus nothing skipped:

Original: 14:10 SponsorBlock: 12:38

Original: 14:11 SponsorBlock: 12:04

Original: 19:31 SponsorBlock: 17:40

I'm saving almost 2 minutes in each of these videos and there are many creators who are much worse in this regard. I've had some shorter videos where they basically are half as long once all the crap is cut out of it. It's also nice for when I don't have my hands on the keyboard/mouse such as if I've got my laptop connected to my TV. I will get some videos queued up and set my wireless keyboard down to the side and just watch. With AdBlock + SponsorBlock I don't have to touch the keyboard or mouse through multiple videos and can just enjoy things without issues. I don't have to worry about skipping past ads, sponsor segments, intros, outros, self-promo's, etc...

Overall it just makes my viewing experience so much better. At one point I had YouTube premium but it felt like I was paying so much to basically just get rid of ads but not completely get rid of them. Even with ads gone I still have sponsor segments. And if I'm having to use a tool to skip sponsor segments it starts to make me just not care to even pay for the product anymore.

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