Live data from Hacker News

Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

standard.co.uk

81–90 of 92 posts

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#81
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah the fallacy of content piracy harm. If I steal content it doesn't cost the creator anything. I was never going to pay for said content anyway. If I enjoy content to to point of being willing to pay, I would do so anyway, even if I could keep getting it for free, if there is an agreeable way to do that. This applies to software, books, video, music and everything else, and has been proven time and again. Google has…

People quit their jobs and make videos full time thanks to YouTube ads. Those videos wouldn't exist otherwise, people would be busy working regular jobs.

So what's the problem? We need even more Mr Beasts than we already have?

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#82
post #61
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"the only reason this is upsetting to people is because it seemed to be free for so long" The issue, at least to me, is that Google has a sort of monopoly on >99% of content on Youtube. They provide virtually nothing[0] to content creators other than free †⸸ video hosting, and in return they get to gatekeep the content itself. All of the cost is offloaded onto the consumer, and there is little to no incentive (arguab…

> It costs to make, but it's not Google that has to pay Google pays creators 55% of the ad revenue, so yes Google has to pay for those videos. > It costs to deliver, but why should Google be the only party who gets to deliver other people's content? People upload to YouTube because YouTube gives them plenty of ad revenue. They don't upload to sites without a lot of ads since that would reduce their ad revenue.

The videos I watch are an extension of the forum posts and blogs that people have always done not because they are seeking "ad revenue" but simply because passionate people will make stuff about the things they like either for public good or simply because they like doing it.

YouTube was not supposed to be about people trying to make money. That's the old thing. The entire point of YouTube was normal people can upload videos and make channels. The money just attracted the same garbage content as TV had before.

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a legitimate point. Also, I would prefer to pay the content creators directly. Charge me for time spent viewing — give that portion of my subscription to the content creators I was watching.

At the risk of advocating for the devil, I think that's what YouTube Premium does? I don't know whether it pays out by time watched or per view or what, and obviously Google takes a (large) cut, but the biggest argument in its favor is that it does actually put money in the creators' pockets.

That would be cool. I suspect I would be unhappy with the size of the cut Google takes.

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could, of course, just pay YouTube $14/mo for the ad-free version instead of complaining.

Why should we pay for the experience we used to have for free? It would be an easy sell if google offered some benefit to paying, but making the experience worse and then offering to put it back as a premium option rubs me the wrong way.

So they should just keep offering an ad-free, payment-free service at a loss forever? Or how should they make money?

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#85
post #19

The word "admit" in a headline always raises my hackles. This wasn't a secret. Your reporter didn't wheedle the truth out of them. You sent an email, and they responded with what they had already said countless times.

Yeah, this is now as I count it the third or possibly fourth time this story about the 5 second delay has been recycled onto the front page of HN. I guess because the first analysis was incorrect (about user agent dependence) everyone feels entitled to try to re-jigger the spin to see what sticks?

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could, of course, just pay YouTube $14/mo for the ad-free version instead of complaining.

Why should we pay for the experience we used to have for free? It would be an easy sell if google offered some benefit to paying, but making the experience worse and then offering to put it back as a premium option rubs me the wrong way.

It was never free without ads. YouTube started showing ads within the first year of its existence. You've just been blocking them.

It's like you've been shoplifting groceries for years, and are now outraged that the shop hired a guard. "They let me shoplift for years just to drive the competing grocery stores out of business, and now they're abusing their monopoly by demanding payment".

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#87
post #36

[flagged]

> STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT ADS No. I believe you missed/ignored a few facts in your screed: 1. Ads are a malware surface 2. Ads are used to pass misinformation and other harmful content Google is failing to perform its due diligence as an ad platform for both sides of the ad two-sided market. Ergo, my browser connection will continue to use its condoms. -- Further, Google paid for little to any content creation that is…

> Further, Google paid for little to any content creation that is loaded to YouTube.

That's not true. They've paid tens of billions of dollars to content creators. Just back of the envelope calculation YouTube probably pays out more for content per year than Netflix.

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#88
Joining the Apple ecosystem makes a whole lot more sense than paying for Google's rubbish dump. I would not have imagined saying that a year ago. But if I was to pay, I'll pay for a quiet, satisfying life. Not for Google's cheapness - for sure, there is no actual value there for me. It's just a habit. The last fifteen years have been about a habit. Oh! I can choose something else! Wait until others get that idea.

Re: Google admits cracking down on people using ad blockers

#89
post #8

The free ride is over. I feel like the only reason this is upsetting to people is because it seemed to be free for so long. If you give someone a free meal every day for 15 years, and then suddenly take it away, they'll be pretty upset. But nobody ever asked why the food was free? It costs to make and it costs to deliver. Google have datacenters all over the world and we still expect the food to be free. They literal…

Ah the fallacy of content piracy harm. If I steal content it doesn't cost the creator anything. I was never going to pay for said content anyway. If I enjoy content to to point of being willing to pay, I would do so anyway, even if I could keep getting it for free, if there is an agreeable way to do that. This applies to software, books, video, music and everything else, and has been proven time and again. Google has…

You have nothing to worry about, it seems.
Post reply on HN