YouTube’s Crackdown on Ad-Blockers Goes Global

YouTube’s Crackdown on Ad-Blockers Goes Global

Published: November 01, 2023

YouTube has begun to crack down on ad-blockers across the globe in its latest campaign, according to Christopher Lawton, YouTube's communications manager.

While only certain users were last month nudged to disable ad-blockers or subscribe to YouTube Premium, now, all users with ad-blockers are prompted to whitelist or disable them.

Commenting on the campaign, Lawton stressed that ad-blockers violate YouTube's terms of service and prevent support to creators and access to content.

Intensified efforts are shown through pop-up notifications, preventing ad-blocker users from video playback unless they whitelist or disable it.

YouTube, which initially experimented with limiting video access for ad-blockers in June, now expanded its efforts globally after registering a decline in ad revenue for the past three quarters.

YouTube has tweaked ad delivery, adding unskippable 30-second TV app ads and longer but less frequent ad breaks. These changes aim to promote YouTube Premium, offering an ad-free experience for $13.99 per month.

However, a recent price hike and the discontinuation of Premium Lite last month might affect its appeal to some users.

Edited by Nikola Djuric

Subscribe to Spotlight Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest industry news