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YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

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Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#131

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.

Try youtube-dl or one of the clones.

How does this work for users that are not using a desktop OS/browser? Is there a mobile app that does this and holds the content for local viewing?

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#132
post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

consuming content for free where creators expect to get paid is polite way of stealing if you really think about it

In my country a publisher is liable for anything they say unless they have a license, and the license require that they abide to local laws. Youtube do not do this since they think they do not need to follow those laws, nor do they take responsibility for anything they publish (including advertisement). They don't even pay value gain taxes when selling this content in return for the service of me watching the ad. I w…

That sounds pretty bleak, honestly. While you can disagree with Youtube and its policies, the idea of open free speech should appear, at first blush, more important than strict protections against libel or hate speech.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#133
Gosh I hope Youtube doesn't shoot it's unicorn in the face. With the number of adds that the youtubers themselves sell, it's just a bit too much. I'd be happy for this if I knew it wasn't going to just be google raking in all the money to themselves but instead had some form of payment partnership with the creators that was fair and equitable.

All I see happening here is more adds overall.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#134
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

YT Premium only makes the problem worse by requiring you to log in using an account that is tied to your real world identity and was used for payment processing. You just end up giving more data points to Google to track you, cross-reference with other sources and shove more ads in other platforms, still get native ads, and Google can just add their own ads later (as it is happening step by step with streaming compan…

The flip side s that you don't have to use Chrome+Google for everything. I buy ebooks and watch youtube on it, plus my phone (so I buy android apps via the same google account). And Gmail is my fallback email account so that doesn't see much traffic.

I use 3-4 browsers and because WFH + VM's for coding some incidental sandboxing.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#135
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 have observed a more insidious problem - the Youtubers that used to be genuine and down to earth are now themselves compromised by being sent products to give their honest opinion. The other day I was watching a video about this nice couple who wanted to start their bulldozer that was frozen in the forest and suddenly they pull out this "powerbank 1300" (name deliberately changed) and started a sales spiel ! About…

I'm hoping a large part of the cost is in safety. It would be grossly irresponsible to just string together a bunch of budget 18650 cells to try and make a bigger battery. It's junk like this that has caused entities like the NYCHA to straight up ban ebikes (cheap conversion kits for ebikes seem to be giant fire hazards).

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I looked into subscribing because I don't mind paying to avoid the ads. I don't like the spying that will go along with paying, given that it is Alphabet/Google. If they offered a plan to pay without the spying I would have signed up years ago. I didn't try so I could be wrong but my guess is your payment will be tied directly to your login and so you need to have that login on the browser at all times to view the vi…

How does subscribing increase their spying? Beyond the obvious that they now have your billing address.

You can watch Youtube incognito for free but you need to login to benefit from subscribing.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#138

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.

I don’t just subscribe to remove ads (yt premium is my only subscription)

It also pays the content creators I watch more money. So imho it’s a win win. No ads for me more money for the peoples content I enjoy

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#139
post #4

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

I don't like paying a platform that rose to prominence because of piracy, just so that I can watch IP created by other people without youtube inserting a really intense number of ads into the experience. And all the vidoes are ads anyway, it's just via sponsorships and affiliate links now. It feels deeply icky

> I don't like paying a platform that rose to prominence because of piracy

Is that true? Yeah it's there, more so in the past, but I have to imagine that was a tiny amount of their viewership. I'd imagine most viewing is from individual channels of real people.

Re: YouTube tests blocking videos unless you disable ad blockers

#140

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.

i don’t think it’s weird, but i signed up for the premium trial a few weeks ago and it is simply astounding how much more enjoyable it makes things. i didn’t realize just how awful things had become until i tried youtube without ads. i know some other folks are complaining about still getting tracked or whatever, but i think the simple truth is that youtube without ads is a vastly superior experience.

The people you watch also make more money per premium view from what I understand
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