YouTube might be planning something big after years of getting slammed by the ad blocker groups.
According to some developers of a popular ad blocker, YouTube’s latest strategy could make blocking ads problematic as the tech giant tests “server-side” ads which will make ad blocking “useless” like never before.
Besides, YouTube is also working on some new ad control systems for their premium iOS users. Let’s delve into the details below.
YouTube Testing “Server-Side” Ads to Block Ad Blockers
The creators of SponsorBlock shared on social media that YouTube might start using “server-side” ads. This means ads would be directly integrated into the video stream, making them tougher to detect and block.
YouTube is currently experimenting with server-side ad injection. This means that the ad is being added directly into the video stream.
This breaks sponsorblock since now all timestamps are offset by the ad times.
— SponsorBlock (@[email protected]) (@SponsorBlock) June 12, 2024
Ad blockers work by separating ads from the main video stream. With server-side ads, this separation becomes difficult.
The developers explained on GitHub that while this isn’t the end for ad blockers, it will certainly complicate things.
A Reddit user has already seen these server-side ads while using Firefox and the uBlock extension. Despite tweaking settings, they couldn’t block these new ads.
YouTube has been actively fighting ad blockers. They’ve tried several strategies, including:
- Giving users three warnings before cutting off access.
- Emailing users to warn them about ad blockers and the risk of losing access.
- Threatening to revoke API access for developers creating ad block extensions.
ALSO READ: How to Remove YouTube Shorts from Feeds?
In late May, users with ad blockers faced issues like videos skipping to the end or muting. YouTube denied that these problems were part of their anti-ad blocker measures.
Many users are now uninstalling ad blockers due to these challenges. This leaves them with two options: subscribing to YouTube Premium or waiting for the “skip ad” button.
As YouTube continues its fight against ad blockers, users may need to adapt by paying for ad-free access so they can check out YouTube Premium.
