Nobody likes watching ads, especially on YouTube, which is why so many people use adblockers daily while surfing the net. But the days of blocking YouTube ads are about to come to an end.
The Verge reports that YouTube revealed that it is conducting a global experiment aimed at encouraging viewers with ad blockers enabled to either allow ads on YouTube or consider subscribing to YouTube Premium.
This development follows reports of a new prompt being observed by some users, cautioning that video playback may be terminated if repeated use of ad blocking tools is detected. If a user refused to disable an ad blocker, after three videos, the user will not be able to continue watching.
YouTube emphasises that users will receive several notifications urging them to discontinue the use of such tools or explore the option of YouTube Premium before their viewing experience is disrupted.
Google’s spokeperson, Oluwa Falodun told The Verge that:
We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube.
YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads.
We want to inform viewers that ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms Of Service, and make it easier for them to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad free experience.
These actions shows that YouTube is taking a stronger position against ad blockers, with the rationale that the ad spots are essential for compensating creators for their content and for sustaining the platform’s free nature. YouTube asserts that the revenue generated from ads is crucial to ensure creators receive proper compensation and to maintain the availability of free content on the platform.
It is speculated that the primary motivation behind this move is to encourage more users to subscribe to YouTube Premium. By restricting video playback for users with ad blockers, YouTube may be aiming to incentivise viewers to opt for the premium subscription, which offers an ad-free experience among other benefits.
While the company stated the importance of ad revenue for supporting creators and keeping the platform free, the promotion of YouTube Premium subscriptions could also be a significant factor in this decision.
