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YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

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Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#91
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it would load the video more slowly, thereby causing people to watch fewer videos. Their selections would be more thoughtful and more focused rather than frenetic and shallow.

Or people would set lots of videos to load in background tabs but only get around to watching some of them.

Or more likely they wouldn't even use the site.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#92
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why you don't do it, but the die-hards do.

The die-hards aren't really doing it for any practical purpose, they're just doing it to show it can be done. Mainstream media have been ignoring. them for decades now and continue to make boatloads of money.

Depends on how highly you value your privacy. Ads aren't just annoying visually, they contain little tracker bits spying on you.

Long before I had an adblocker, I developed "banner blindness", the real benefit my adblocker gives me is less info leaking out to the platforms. (and since ublock/umatrix is so great, also more security and better loading times, but these are cherries)

If that counts as a "practical purpose" is up to you.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#93
post #91
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or people would set lots of videos to load in background tabs but only get around to watching some of them.

Or more likely they wouldn't even use the site.

Another way to reduce bandwidth costs!

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#94

They will win. They will setup DRM, or render the full site in canvas, or with wasm, or something, or requires a TPM trusted signatured in an approved web browser or some shit. The new generation will accept a limited client, because they know mostly locked down phones. So only a few will not accept it, and they will not have to care about it a single bit.

They have the power to block adblocker extentions from Chrome and then only allow Chrome and no derivatives to use YouTube.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Netflix killed Torrents. Spotify killed Napster.

Torrents are back big-time because Netflix became too annoying and video streaming too fragmented. https://torrentfreak.com/online-piracy-continues-to-rise-wit... https://torrentfreak.com/sharp-rise-in-piracy-rates-across-s...

Torrents never left. I've had no issue over the last 15 years with either torrents or newsgroups, everything's just as accessible and quickly released as it was then.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#96

Those of you defending youtube on this, have you actually tried watching anything on the site without ad blockers? It's not just that they serve you occasional, only moderately annoying ads as a subsidy for not paying, they do it in such an intrusively pervasive manner that it seems intentionally designed to make it nearly unusable. The sheer quantity of garbage interrupting your music or anything else you care to wa…

Yes. I haven't used adblockers anywhere for a good decade. Ads in articles my brain now skips, and unskippable video ads I usually mute and do something else.

I wouldn't use Youtube to listen to music any more than I'd use my toaster to cook bacon. It could do it, but I have better tools for purpose.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#97
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't working for me on Firefox / uBlock and Ubuntu :( I don't get the popup, but the video is just black and the play button does nothing.

I have mostly same configuration except I use Fedora. Sometimes ublock doesn't work for me. I just open the video in a temporary container it works without any issues. Have you tried this approach?

Thanks, this seems to work for me!

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#98
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also get all of your information/habits/etc.. It's pretty sweet being an all powerful tech company.

Which has what value, exactly? I see the value being for lining up the ads you're most likely to be relevant to you. It increases the amount they can charge advertisers, and you're seeing ads that are more relevant to you. Is there some other value in having this information?

in the individual case, it's ads or blackmail (and because the latter is illegal, Google isn't doing it).

in the aggregate, at the population level? very valuable. especially changes over time.

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just don’t understand why people don’t use Invidious instead of paying money to these greedy bastards

Because (a) it's not that widely known and (b) Google is trying to block it [1], so many instances are broken now, which isn't a great experience. [1]: https://github.com/iv-org/invidious/issues/3915

I know they’re trying to block it. Even this thread which is flagged now is a case in point. Let’s kill the greedy bastards. Let’s make Google bankrupt, anyway it’s not useful much anymore

Re: YouTube's ban leads to a record number of users uninstalling their ad-blockers

#100
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it would load the video more slowly, thereby causing people to watch fewer videos. Their selections would be more thoughtful and more focused rather than frenetic and shallow.

Or people would set lots of videos to load in background tabs but only get around to watching some of them.

I'd like to think I could cultivate a decent user base through decency and keep those types away. Plus I would add some technological features to make it only attractive to people who want a more deliberate experience.
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