YouTube's new anti-adblock measures

Post by grugagag » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 2:02 AM UTC

akersten wrote: post #227

timmg wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The more Google insists on forcing advertising on us... You can... just not visit youtube, right?

Harder than it sounds! So much of what we interact with online winds up with YouTube in the dependency chain. Kids' coursework, how-to videos, etc. I could also just pay the $$/month to "solve" this problem, but I need my petty cash more than Google does. I'm confident the brilliant minds there can figure out how to monetize my visit even without the real-time bidding industrial complex burning my CPU cycles.

Post by cyberax » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 2:03 AM UTC

akersten wrote: post #209

Thank you for your important work fighting this battle, it must be exhausting. The more Google insists on forcing advertising on us, the more we should look closely at the wildly inappropriate and downright scammy ads they are hosting. If they can't leave well enough alone and look the other way on ad blocking, (which is the only way to avoid exposing myself and family to these dangerous ads), they need to be under a…

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 2:04 AM UTC

mitthrowaway2 wrote: post #245

SequoiaHope wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I resisted paying for premium (out of spite) until very recently and only because my girlfriend complained. I have been astounded at how scammy those ads are. There is a major class of ads that make fairly significant bullshit medical claims and I’m semi convinced the purpose is not for someone to make money but to wage psychological warfare on vulnerable people. Another class of ads says “the US government is going…

I've seen ads on YouTube that are straight-up illegal. Including ads for tobacco. And one that was a deepfake of the Canadian minister of finance pitching a crypto investment as being risk-free and backed by the government. Another that was a deepfake of Elon Musk saying he was going to give free money to people who click the link. YouTube will run anything because they know they won't get in trouble.

Post by stickfigure » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 2:05 AM UTC

mcdeltat wrote: post #234

I recently stopped watching youtube altogether and surprisingly haven't been missing it. And I used to watch a LOT (like hours per day) of youtube, mostly quality educational/scientific content. But ultimately you'd be surprised how much you don't need in your life. And side effect is no more ads. If someone sends me an occasional youtube video to watch, I'll take a look, but otherwise no engagement with the platform…

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jun 21, 2025, 2:06 AM UTC

bobsmooth wrote: post #225

vjulian wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it hard to discern whether your post is sarcasm. Assuming it’s not, I’m surprised that someone is so cheerfully and voluntarily paying an extra fiat to the virtual landowner.

Video hosting is expensive. Making videos is expensive. You're not noble for stealing from Youtube or its creators.