Warning notice on YouTube for users with ad blockers is causing a heated debate on the internet

Youtube wants to prevent the use of ad blockers with a new warning

Advertising on YouTube is numerous and annoying – many users agree. To bypass this, you have to register for YouTube Premium for a fee or you can use the free alternative – an ad blocker.

It is obvious that such ad blockers are a thorn in the side of the video portal. Now the company is showing a warning message for the first time – and the users are not happy.

»Ad blockers are not allowed on Youtube«

YouTube has started showing some users a warning when it is detected that they are using an ad blocker. The banner contains the note »Ad Blockers are not allowed on YouTube« and points out that advertising is necessary to keep the service free for billions of users.

Users can decide to use the ad-free video service with a paid premium subscription or to continue the free version with advertising. The hint can simply be clicked away, without any consequences.

The use of ad blockers is not expressly forbidden in YouTube’s terms of service, but it is forbidden to modify the content of the videos, which leaves room for interpretation.

The alternative sought by Google is the YouTube Premium service. This offers ad-free viewing for a monthly fee. The cheapest option is currently the cheapest 12 euros per month.

YouTube’s business has weakened in the last quarter of 2022 due to declining advertising revenues. Users who were confronted with the banner mostly reacted negatively and criticized YouTube’s “greed”. In recent years, the amount of advertisements has increased dramatically.

Link to Reddit content

There used to be only one commercial at the beginning of a video, which could also be skipped. In the meantime, two or even three clips are no longer uncommon and often these cannot be skipped. There are also sponsor clips from the creators themselves and commercials that play in the middle of the video.

The warning is currently only displayed to users in the United States and it is unclear if it will be expanded globally. If the warning is displayed even though you are not using an ad blocker, you can complain to YouTube.

What do you think of this warning message? How would you react if Google decided to display them in Germany as well? Do you think YouTube’s point of view is justified, or is the number of commercials so excessive that an ad blocker is practically necessary? Tell us what you think about it in the comments!