- By Vikas Yadav
- Sun, 14 Jan 2024 02:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
YouTube Update: Video streaming giant YouTube recently supercharged its ad-blocking efforts for users to limit the use of extensions and applications that block commercials on the platform. While people discovered several walkarounds, the company is now slowing down the experience for these users on its site, according to 9To5Google. The only choice to expedite the experience is to disable the ad blocker or buy the Premium plan.
Using ad blockers to avoid advertisements on the platform is a violation of the streaming giant's usage terms, the report noted. Ads played before video playback are a massive source of income for the platform, and the only option other than ad blockers is to pay for 'Premium'.
"Ad blockers violate YouTube's Term of Service," pop-up to users deploying ad blockers was among the first steps in the company's crackdown. Users must disable the blocker to continue the viewing experience. In the second stage, the company is slowing down the experience of users across the site if an ad blocker is enabled for "suboptimal viewing."
The slowdown changes are likely due to a timeout code in YouTube. (Image:Unsplash)
The report cited a Reddit post that said the experience is now laggy and unresponsive if the blocker is enabled. Disabling the ad blocker shifts the site back to a normal functioning state. During personal testing, 9To5Google discovered that the claims were correct. Buffering in videos, previews not loading, and glitches with theatre mode and full screen are among other problems highlighted in the report.
The changes are likely due to a timeout code in YouTube to mimic laggy connectivity even when the internet is stable. While the tactic is not new, it is now being experienced by more users on the platform. This leaves the user with only the option to switch to the paid tier for an ad-free experience. As a compromised alternative, you can continue watching ads after removing the ad blocker service.