YouTube’s crackdown on ad blockers intensifies

YouTube appears to be ramping up its efforts to crackdown on ad blocks

The platform has reportedly been sending users with ad blockers enabled more aggressive prompts, warning them to either “Allow YouTube ads” or subscribe to YouTube Premium. The notification appears in place of videos or as a pop-up when playing videos on fullscreen.

If the viewer fails to comply, the platform threatens to block video playback after three plays.

Why we care. This is promising news for advertisers in terms of extending your ad’s reach. However, it’s important to consider that pushing ads onto people who have no interest may not yield great results, as they’re less likely to convert into customers.

What does the prompt say? The prompt reads:

• “Ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service.”
• “It looks like you may be using an ad locker. Video playback is blocked unless YouTube is allowlisted or the ad blocker is disabled.:
• “Ads allow YouTube tp be used by billions worldwide at no charge.:
• “You can go ad-free with YouTube Premium, and creators still get paid from your subscriptions.:

Here’s a screenshot:

Why now? YouTube has said that it is taking more measures against ad blockers to ensure that its content creators are compensated for their work. “YouTube’s ad-supported model supports a diverse ecosystem of creators, and provides billions of people globally access to content for free with ads,” the company said in a statement.

How much is YouTube Premium? YouTube Premium costs $13.99 a month in the US. The price was increased by 17% from $11.99 in June.

What has YouTube said? Oluwa Falodun, a spokesperson for Google, previously told The Verge in a statement:

• “We want to inform viewers thatad 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.” 
• “Ad blocker detection is not new, and other publishers regularly ask viewers to disable ad blockers.”
• “We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube.”
• “In cases when viewers feel they have been falsely flagged as using an ad blocker, they can share this feedback by clicking on the link in the prompt.”

Deep dive. Check out the full discussion on Reddit or read YouTube’s ad policy on the YouTube Advertising hub for more information.