YouTube wants to lock out users:inside of ad blockers
Those who surf YouTube with ad blockers may soon have a problem: The company has launched a test that prevents users from viewing content on the video portal if ad blocker apps are active in the browser.
Some YouTube users are currently confronted with a new pop-up window as soon as they want to access content, such as Android Police reported. It states that users must disable their ad blockers or set YouTube.com as an exception in their ad blocker rules in order to continue watching videos there.
Google goes on the offensive
YouTube confirms this as part of a new experiment that hasn't been rolled out widely yet, but could indicate the app's future direction to combat ad blockers and maximize advertising opportunities. YouTube parent Google is apparently taking a more aggressive approach to ad blockers in its apps with such means.
The corporation has been installing updates to Google Chrome restrictions on ad blocker technologies for years to protect its core ad business. Most of the changes have been reversed by ad blockers so far.
The video platform has long been targeted by ad blocker providers, as few users want to watch two or more ads before a YouTube clip. The rise of Shorts has exacerbated this trend, as YouTube wants to insert ads into the Shorts experience as effectively as possible to maximize the potential for advertisers in this space.
Cushion potential losses
With that in mind, it seems reasonable that Google would want to crack down more on ad blockers in the future. As the group also integrates generative AI into search, which could also impact the ad business, it is understandable that the company also wants to optimize ad presence in other areas to mitigate potential losses and satisfy advertising partners. (pte/swi)
