Recently, a Reddit user discovered that YouTube is testing a new policy for people using ad blockers. Accordingly, users will see a notification window saying "video player will be blocked after 3 videos".
“It looks like you are using an ad blocker. Video playback will be blocked unless YouTube is whitelisted or ad blocking is disabled,” the message continues. “Ads keep YouTube free for billions of users worldwide. You can choose to watch ad-free with YouTube Premium, and creators can still get paid from your subscription.”
After receiving this warning, users only have two options: either disable the ad blocker, or subscribe to YouTube Premium to avoid seeing ads.
YouTube confirmed to several news outlets that this is part of an ongoing global test to encourage viewers to allow ads on the platform. When asked if the company plans to ban users who use ad blockers, YouTube said that video playback may be temporarily disabled “in some exceptional cases,” that is, if users continue to ignore YouTube’s warnings and continue to use ad blockers.
YouTube did not say which regions or how many regions were participating in the test. The company previously tested blocking ad blockers directly from accessing YouTube in May. At the time, a spokesperson said the practice was not new and that other publishers routinely asked viewers to disable ad blocking.
YouTube Music and Premium recently surpassed 80 million subscribers, adding 30 million in a year, according to Variety. For $11.99 a month or $119.99 a year, YouTube Premium removes ads from the platform and comes with other benefits like downloads for offline viewing, YouTube Music Premium.
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