YouTube cracks down on ad-blockers. Know why. (Unsplash)

YouTube Announces Worldwide Crackdown on Ad Blockers

YouTube has recently implemented stricter measures against ad-blockers, preventing users with such add-ons from accessing the platform. This initiative, which was first introduced in June as a limited experiment, has now been expanded globally. Users worldwide have reported being unable to watch YouTube videos if they have an ad-blocker enabled.

Fighting ad blockers

According to a report by The Verge, YouTube has launched a “global initiative” to encourage users to either watch videos with ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium, YouTube’s chief communications officer Christopher Lawton has confirmed. But why? Lawton says using ad blockers on the video-sharing platform violates its terms of service.

When you watch videos with ad blocking enabled, a message will appear with the following warning.

It looks like you are using an ad blocker. Video playback will be blocked unless YouTube is whitelisted or ad blocking is disabled.
Ads enable billions to use YouTube worldwide.
You can use YouTube Premium without ads, and creators can still get paid for your subscription.

But why are ads important?

According to Lawton, “advertisements support a diverse ecosystem of creators worldwide, giving billions access to their favorite content on YouTube.”

For the uninitiated, YouTube’s main source of revenue is advertising. While tools like Super Chat, channel memberships, and affiliate products help creators make money, YouTube makes money from advertising in addition to the YouTube Premium subscription.

Efforts to monetize ads

YouTube has launched several initiatives in 2023 to encourage users to either watch ads or subscribe to YouTube Premium. In May, it announced 30-second non-skippable ads for its TV app. In addition, it began testing longer TV ads that are shown less frequently. But if these moves started to convince users to adopt YouTube Premium, the platform has shot itself in the foot by introducing a $2 increase to its subscription. It also raised the price of its annual subscription.