YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers • Hacker News Board

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#61

Post by jacooper » Wed, May 10, 2023, 9:58 PM UTC

pwg wrote: post #6

Or just download with yt-dlp ( https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp ).

You can use alternative front ends like piped, invidious or apps like libretube.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#62

Post by episteme » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:12 PM UTC

crtasm wrote: post #27

haunter wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet. Twitch has some pretty hardcore ad system that even uBlock can't block straight up and you have to use a combination of tools/scripts https://github.com/pixeltris/TwitchAdSolutions https://old.reddit.com/r/Adblock/comments/10fgy9y/twitch_adb...

I only have uBlock Origin and never see ads on Twitch. Downvoting does not change this fact (and if I knew exactly why my experience is different, I would provide details).

Where are you located?

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#63

Post by Simulacra » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:13 PM UTC

Until someone builds a better blocker to the anti-ad blocker

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#64

Post by corvec » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:21 PM UTC

wnevets wrote: post #4

On a related note as someone who uses YouTube constantly YouTube Premium is absolutely worth it.

I had YouTube Family at $15/month until this month, when they raised the price to $23. I signed up back when Google Play Music was still a thing.

I was never able to get into YouTube Music, though, so I don't actually use it to stream my music. The fact that my playlists are shared between YouTube and YouTube Music is enough for me to drop it from serious consideration as a music streaming service on its own. That, plus the lack of lossless streaming, inconsistent, clunky UI, and lack of any positive features that distinguish it from Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music, is why I never used it for anything other than sharing songs with people who didn't use Tidal.

That they apparently also include ads in the albums I transferred from Google Play Music - albums that I paid for - is just added insult.

The main way I justified paying the subscription was that other people in my household got access to ad-free music streaming (and they actually used it, unlike me), Youtubers get comped more from me watching their videos, and I didn't have to worry about whole-home adblockers to remove ads from the app. But after a 50% price hike that takes it above the prices for Tidal Family ($15), Apple Music Family ($17), and Spotify Family ($16), it's not something I can justify anymore.

(Youtube Music Family is $15, FWIW, but it doesn't include Youtube itself.)

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#65

Post by stanac » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:32 PM UTC

manuelmoreale wrote: post #45

nashashmi wrote: post #16

Can ad blockers block ads on YouTube?

Some of them yes. From YouTube website at least. Not from YouTube app as far as I’m aware.

I use combination of firefox with uBO and blokada on android. I believe it would work the same without blokada.

Firefox works in the background, you can stream music/podcasts with phone screen off and no adds.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#66

Post by fear_and_coffee » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:52 PM UTC

YouTube user tests discontinuing use of YouTube unless YouTube disables ad blocker blockers

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#67

Post by karaterobot » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:52 PM UTC

Is it weird that this makes me want to subscribe to YouTube premium less than before? Feels like I've been poised to give them money for a while, since so many people seem to like the service. Now I feel like they're challenging me to a duel.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#68

Post by taneq » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:53 PM UTC

mikece wrote: post #3

If YouTube blocks me from watching videos because I use an ad blocker then I'll stop watching videos on YouTube. I don't care if this doesn't hurt YouTube... it will help me stop spending so much time on YouTube.

Yeah, this could be great for productivity.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#69

Post by lostgame » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:54 PM UTC

thematt wrote: post #34

wnevets wrote: post #4

On a related note as someone who uses YouTube constantly YouTube Premium is absolutely worth it.

What makes it worth it? Isn't the experience the same as just running an ad-blocker?

Well, my hubby’s iPad and our iPhones don’t support ad blocking on YouTube, nor does my Smart TV, so…ad blocking only works on 1/5 of my husband’s devices and my own would actually be effective with ad blocking, for one…

(And before you say ‘just switch to Android’, I’m an iOS/WatchOS dev and a music producer for a living - if anything with the recent announcement of Logic on the iPad, I’ll be buying another iPads not reducing them…)

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#70

Post by Zetice » Wed, May 10, 2023, 10:56 PM UTC

mikece wrote: post #3

If YouTube blocks me from watching videos because I use an ad blocker then I'll stop watching videos on YouTube. I don't care if this doesn't hurt YouTube... it will help me stop spending so much time on YouTube.

I just cannot wrap my head around folks who demand content for free. How do you think the people who create this content would survive if they couldn't do it for money???