Google Ramps Up Crackdown on YouTube Ad-Blocking, Targets Third-Party Apps

ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 271 points –
Google intensifies fight against YouTube adblockers - gHacks Tech News
ghacks.net

Google warns users of these apps that their experience may deteriorate soon. They may "experience buffering issues" or see errors such as "the following content is not available on this app" when trying to watch videos.

Similar to Google Search, ads have become insufferable for many users of the service. There are too many of them, they may break the viewing experience, and they may show inappropriate content.

YouTube Premium is expensive. What weights more for some users is that its functionality is severely limited when compared to third-party apps.

The cat and mouse game continues.

For those looking to avoid ads or improve privacy, here are some options for free, open source, privacy-friendly frontends to YouTube without advertisements:

https://www.privacyguides.org/en/frontends/#youtube

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By now just paying for adblocking alone wouldn't cut it, I have also grown accustomed to YouTube sponsorblock in my client.

Indeed, paying for YouTube would still result in loads of advertisements. So it's pretty crazy that Google (and various people) are saying you need to pay because you'd just pay and still see loads of ads.

It's not just the ads either. Automatically skipping interaction reminders, zelf promotion and non-music parts is such an improved experience that it's just too painful to go back.