YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers • Hacker News Board

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#711

Post by akerr » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:06 AM UTC

miki123211 wrote: post #324

If you're on iOS, I highly recommend Yattee[1], a free Youtube app with no ads, background playback and sponsor block built-in. The way they get around App Store restrictions is by claiming that they aren't a Youtube app. They're technically a video-watching app which is supposed to be used with your own personal server. The server API they require, however, is supported by Invidious[2], an open-source, privacy-prese…

I use Vinegar[1] with Safari on all platforms which provides HTML5 video (and PiP etc) but with the other YouTube features. I have the Subscriptions page bookmarked so I get a reverse chronological list from my favourite creators. You could also use channel RSS to do this without an account.

[1] https://apps.apple.com/app/id1591303229

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#712

Post by esperent » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:07 AM UTC

ecliptik wrote: post #678

miki123211 wrote: post #324

If you're on iOS, I highly recommend Yattee[1], a free Youtube app with no ads, background playback and sponsor block built-in. The way they get around App Store restrictions is by claiming that they aren't a Youtube app. They're technically a video-watching app which is supposed to be used with your own personal server. The server API they require, however, is supported by Invidious[2], an open-source, privacy-prese…

Yattee + Tailscale + Piped greatly increased my consumption of Youtube videos. Missing most of the features mentioned (recommendations, watch history, google account, shorts) are all pros instead of cons to me. Just an app for intentionally watching content in a no-frills private environment, it's refreshing.

How do you find new videos to watch?

I have two modes of watching YouTube:

1. When I want to learn about something. Then I use a search engine to find the video, and your setup would be fine

2. When I want to relax and watch generally interesting informative videos. Or sometimes comedy or animation.

I subscribe to a range of channels and use the YT recommendations for the second mode (which sucks but is barely usable).

How do people watching YT with no account handle this second mode of watching?

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#713

Post by adrr » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:12 AM UTC

mcpackieh wrote: post #309

I block ads because they're psychological warfare that corporations wage against me. I don't care how unobtrusive the ads are. I don't care if the ads don't track me. I grew up changing the channel on TV when ads came on, and ripping adverts out of magazines before sitting down to read them. I vote for billboard bans whenever I can. I have zero tolerance for ads of any sort. Advertisers have no morals, they're comple…

Do you pay for have an ad free experience? eg: YouTube Premium, Reddit Gold, etc

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#714

Post by mensetmanusman » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:21 AM UTC

I blocked ads after trying to show my kids tiny cakes during election season, and every cake episode was talking about politicians who rape everyone.

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#715

Post by skripp » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:33 AM UTC

kitsunesoba wrote: post #226

This doesn't really affect me since I subscribe to premium, but something that a lot of ad-based services don't seem to grasp is why people block ads. It's because they've become increasingly obnoxious. Nobody blocked ads when they were a simple column of links in the gutter or maybe an animated GIF banner with 3 frames. No, adblockers became popular because ads kept getting more loud (both visually and audibly), in…

> It's because they've become increasingly obnoxious.

Earlier this week I got served a 1.5 HOUR long ad by YouTube for a bank here in Hong Kong.

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#716

Post by stevenicr » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:44 AM UTC

anurag6892 wrote: post #400

stevenicr wrote: post #89

The primary reason I use an adblocker is to prevent malware / viruses. I would be more accepting of ads in general if: 1 - they were all served from the primary websites server - eg yahoo blaming third party ad servers for injecting virus scripts and taking no responsibility is not okay with me. 2 - I had easy choices to block ads for things like gambling and alcohol at the ip level, not just browser level. 3 - no fl…

51% of the $12 premium is distributed to creators of videos one watches.

Thank you for this information, I was not aware of this!

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#717

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:45 AM UTC

garciasn wrote: post #83

From the article: >“YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads,” the company’s statement says. Let's at least be 100% honest with everyone and stop with the disingenuous garbage: 1. Ad-blocker usage is roughly 25-30% of US users. 2. The average YouTube content creator makes less than 0.02 per ad view and thus why…

[deleted]

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#718

Post by kjkjadksj » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:49 AM UTC

lennixm wrote: post #198

garciasn wrote: post #83

From the article: >“YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads,” the company’s statement says. Let's at least be 100% honest with everyone and stop with the disingenuous garbage: 1. Ad-blocker usage is roughly 25-30% of US users. 2. The average YouTube content creator makes less than 0.02 per ad view and thus why…

I think you're being completely disingenuous here. Using an ad-blocker is free-riding and nothing less. We consume a service provided by Google through server capacity, monetization enginea, and improved discovery and by the creators through sweat and tears in creating video content without paying for it. You can consume the content without being exposed to ads while paying Google and the creators their share by buyi…

If these sites were truly concerned, why not just put youtube behind a paid username and password like netflix or hbo go or any other streaming content service today? Its because there is massive value in having your content be open to the world and not gatekept behind a subscription. The financials of this business don’t suggest its lacking a means to cover its costs, so why should I pay out my attention for a rate far below I quote anyone else in the market for it?

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#719

Post by kjkjadksj » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:54 AM UTC

JCharante wrote: post #258

user3939382 wrote: post #230

If Google had the power to implement a device that forced your eyelids open to look at ads they would do it. Their company is user hostile and we should move as far as possible away from their services.

How are they user hostile? It's people who do not want to pay for the service and do not want to watch ads to use the service who are the problem. How else should Youtube make money from those users? They must literally lose money on those users.

I’m sure both content creaters and google tout their views still from all of these supposed “freeloaders” who are showing advertisers and shareholders that there is engagement with the site. If google wants to put their money where their mouth is, an adless view wouldn’t actually register as a true view.

Re: YouTube is testing a more aggressive approach against ad blockers

#720

Post by genocidicbunny » Sat, Jul 01, 2023, 1:56 AM UTC

mcpackieh wrote: post #309

I block ads because they're psychological warfare that corporations wage against me. I don't care how unobtrusive the ads are. I don't care if the ads don't track me. I grew up changing the channel on TV when ads came on, and ripping adverts out of magazines before sitting down to read them. I vote for billboard bans whenever I can. I have zero tolerance for ads of any sort. Advertisers have no morals, they're comple…

> I have zero tolerance for ads of any sort.

Amen. I see advertising as a personal affront to my dignity. I try to remove or deface as much advertising as I can in my life without getting into legally black areas.