Some YouTube users with ad blockers are experiencing strange glitches, with videos abruptly ending or audio cutting out. These issues have caused concern that YouTube is deliberately targeting ad blocker users, but the company denies such claims.
Reports of Glitches with Adblockers
New Youtube adblock weird behaviour – video automatically skips to the end
byu/SDHD4K inyoutube
The problems surfaced on the r/youtube subreddit, where users with ad blockers like u/SDHD4K reported videos unexpectedly jumping to the end or having muted audio requiring constant volume adjustments.
Initially, the sudden video endings fuelled speculation of YouTube employing stronger anti-ad blocker measures. However, YouTube maintains these glitches are unintended consequences of recent platform improvements aimed at boosting performance and reliability.
Ad Blocker Updates and Unaffected Options
The good news is that many adblocker developers have released fixes to address these YouTube playback issues. Additionally, users haven’t reported similar problems with uBlock Origin, suggesting the glitch might be specific to certain ad blockers.
YouTube’s History of Ad Blocker Friction
While YouTube denies malicious intent through a statement made to 9to5Google, it’s no secret they’ve been ramping up efforts against adblockers. Recent actions include:
- API Access Restrictions: In April 2024, restrictions on third-party apps were tightened. They warned that those blocking ads could lose access to YouTube’s application programming interface (API).
- Confirmed Slowdowns: Last November, YouTube acknowledged that slowdowns experienced in major web browsers were linked to their anti-adblocker initiatives.
- Three-Video Limit Test: Back in June 2023, YouTube experimented with a system that would cut users off after watching three videos if an adblocker was detected.
Uncertain Resolution
While ad blocker updates offer some relief, the underlying cause of these glitches remains unclear. We’ll have to wait and see if YouTube sheds more light on the situation or if further unintended consequences arise from their anti-ad blocker efforts.
For more news like this, stay tuned to us at Adam Lobo TV.
