Siddhartha Samaddar
YouTube is currently conducting a global experiment aimed at cracking down on ad blockers. The video platform giant hopes that this move will encourage its free user base to become paid subscribers. To learn more, continue reading below.
Pay For YouTube Premium For An Ad-Free Experience
Based on a post made by Reddit user Reddit_n_Me, YouTube will now cut off your access to videos, if ad blockers are detected. This is being rolled out in the form of a “3-way strike,” where if an ad blocker is detected YouTube will warn you thrice and urge you to shift to YouTube Premium. In case you fail to comply, your access to your current video will be cut off instantly. Additionally, you will be limited to only 3 videos on the platform. After that, your access will be blocked. This does not apply to you if you are not using any ad blocker, to begin with.
The warning will appear in the form of a pop-up window. It will urge you to either “allowlist” YouTube, disable your adblocker, or sign up for YouTube Premium. After that, your access to the platform will be revoked. However, it is unclear how long the strike will last. Will it be for 24 hours? Will you be able to access YouTube via VPN? Will it be a permanent ban unless and until you either disable your ad blocker or sign up for YouTube Premium? We do not have that information yet. Hopefully, YouTube will shed some light on this soon.
Also, it’s important to note that the current strike isn’t available for public use just yet. It’s still being tested internally and has only been made available to a select group of global users. This was recently confirmed too. However, this suggests that a public release may be on the horizon. Should this occur, you may need to pay in order to enjoy an ad-free experience on YouTube.
If you are thinking about getting YouTube Premium during the wake of this strike, it’s important to know the pricing options. You can choose to pay Rs 139 per month, Rs 399 for three months, or Rs 1,290 for 12 months. With YouTube Premium, you will be able to enjoy ad-free video playback and ad-free access to YouTube Music, background playback, and the ability to download videos for offline playback.
So, what are your thoughts on this new development? Do you think the price justifies the benefits of YouTube Premium? Are you considering it? Do let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
I don’t think they should make anyone join premium plans . And I have YouTube tv and have some issues with it anyway
Youtube is the world mentor these days. It’s contribution to mankind surpasses all the other tech giants combined. I’m sure Youtube will find a better way of compensating itself thn this unpopular move
If it wasn’t such a high price I might consider getting it. I’m on YouTube 5 to 10 times a month and I would rather watch the ads then pay $139 per month.
Wow . It’s that expensive . I thought it was some 2 figure a month
I have Premium but a lot of the channels that I follow often have their own in-video ‘promotions’ for products or services. I understand that these collaborations make money for the channels but I feel that these promotions should be at the end of each video (not at the beginning or the middle). If I’m paying for Premium, I don’t want to see or hear *any* ads or promos.
No it’s not worth the money again big company money grabbing disgusting people should boycott YouTube if they release this
When this happens, will change my default search engine.
What do I think of this? I think this is an interactive commercial and survey masquerading as a news article and comment section. Bitrate is never even addressed, despite the obvious role it’s playing in all of this. Video resolution now includes the option “1080p Premium HD Enhanced Bitrate” right above the usual option of “1080p HD.” YouTube is clearly creating a fast lane and a slow lane. Pay close attention to the video at regular 1080p and you’ll notice micro jitters because they set the bitrate lower to reduce bandwidth. What we aren’t being told is what bitrate does the old 1080p run at now and what bitrate is used for enhanced? The slow lane looks to be running at about 40 Hz, but that’s just a guess. To bad the isn’t someone out there writing an article about it. Right?
The beginning of the end of youtube
if YouTube wants money then make it so cheap that people would prefer to buy premium rather than installing ad block. paying 139 per month is a huge waste of money. YouTube and other social media platforms became popular because they were available for free. Those people who have no problem with ads will continue watching it with ads (because most probably they are either illiterates or do not know any thing about technology, ad block or third party YouTube apps) but those who have problems with ads will most likely abandon the YouTube or resort to other methods. YouTube is not Netflix. they are not providing something that you cannot watch on other platform. That move will definitely backfire.
For me, Youtube Premium is a bountiful and ever changing menu of educational videos,, news, sports, history and entertainment.
My only gripe is the “back door” entry of self promoting advertising in the form of items that are for sale in the webstore of what seems to be a growing number of sites available on Youtube Premium. Youtube Premium should better police the “no advertising” rules.
Yes, you will be able to pay for ad-free youtube until google decides to create new tiers and pricing structures, after it is entrenched, as they have been doing with their other products all along.
The “broken promises” prolonged bait-and-switch, reneg, etc.
Even more powerful: the ads are becoming more invasive and obnoxious. I have been on Premium for several years, and recently had to Go YouTube for two days on ‘regular.’ OMG!!!! the ads the ads the ads.
Glad to pay for premium.
So YouTube is now condoning its own theft from advertisers. Requiring users who have no ability or intention to buy products, to watch adds, is theft from the advertisers. I’m 73 years old and am now retired, living on a very fixed income where I can barely afford to buy food and medicine. I do everything I can, short of watching ads, to recommend videos, give “thumbs up” and comment as often as possible to help their algorithims
go to youtube alternative!
Nobody pays any attention to YouTube ads anyway. They are just another annoyance to be endured. Companies that use YouTube to advertise should take note that their ads only serve to anger and discourage customers because they are so annoying.
ok i’ll just be racist and degrade the experience for all their beloved libs
For me, it’s more like, “YouTube’s Latest Move Encourages You To Stop Using YouTube”
Rename the title to what it really is. “YouTube tests a popup that blackmails users into disabling their ad blocker or pay $12 for premium” I hope people fight back against this because it’s my computer and my network i decide what i want in it or not. Ads are malicious in my opinion and i remember tons of them was scams and even actual links to malware.
F . T . Can’t hardly wait to leave clickbait city forever.
Where are you going?
A rival company will take its place
they make enough via adds, this is just more control.
The numbers of ads on YouTube is oppressive, and Google is not a trustworthy company. Nothing good will come of this.
Speaking for the millions of us that can not afford YouTube’s extortion rates. Most of YouTube advertisements are very intrusive and of very poor taste. Forced viewing of advertisments is an attempt of extortion against the public by Big Tech should not be permitted. YouTube has come into the public use and now should be controlled the publics. for everyone’s benefit and not just a handful of greedy and ruthless corporate controllers. It should be controlled by the public YouTube needs to be broken up and converted to a non-profit enterprise. No one believes that they will actually remain advertisement free once the public os forced into paid subscription. Just like the lie by cable T.V to be add free. PLEASE suggest to your Congressman and Senators that it is time to reign in YouTube and place it into the hands of it’s users.The greed of YouTube knows no bounds.
Sounds like a good time to invest in DailyMotion, Vimeo, and any of the other sites that provide similar options without the management of your youtube account distractions youtube is famous for.
Also if you wanted to establish a site to compete with Youtube looks like there couldn’t be a better time than now to launch your venture and be ready to welcome the vast number of screaming hordes being forced out of youtube who will come looking for sanctuary where they will experience open arms and a hearty welcome.
It is time for a YouTube rival.
Most of YouTube advertisements are very intrusive and of very poor taste. This attempt of extortion against the public by Big Tech should not be permitted. YouTube has come into the public use and now should be controlled the publics. for everyone’s benefit. his not just a handful of greedy and ruthless corporate controllers. It should be controlled by the public YouTube needs to be broken up and converted to a non-profit enterprise. No one believes that they will actually remain advertisement free. Just like the lie by cable T.V to be add free. PLEASE suggest to your Congressman and Senators that it is time to reign in YouTube and place it into the hands of it’s users..
Absolute joke. I can’t afford to subscribe to every place that want’s me to. And since youtube has some of the most obnoxious and intrustive ads I’ve run across, I guess my only option would be to abandon youtube.
Maybe they could try less intrusive ads? Nah…why do that.
I used to have YouTubeRed and they need to bring that back. I have a nonzero negative interest in GARBAGE YT Music especially after they got rid of Google Play Music. No where near the same thing Google! You f-ing poopheel.
I will NEVER pay for YouTube. So the platform that censors its users, now wants to extort me for $15/month to not watch commercials? BYE BYE YT, Hello Rumble!!!!
Remember when they removed dislikes for videos? It was fix by some random guy. Same will happen when they try to do this. Can’t wait for the next competitor to step in, Youtube is so desperate it’s killing itself.
Lots of upset people in discussions I’ve seen elsewhere. Of course, if any of those complainers did their job and then didn’t get paid for their work, they’d be livid.
Let’s not forget that more than half video ad revenue goes to creators. The classic reply: “But those creators have to supplement their income through other means, so that’s not enough.” Good point, and I guess that means I should stop tipping at restaurants because people who get tips in their job aren’t able to live off of just those tips alone. Withholding a portion of someone’s income is apparently justified for some reason — the mental gymnastics folks do to justify their own entitlements are remarkable.
Pure, unadulterated GREED!
meh, Youtube is trash.
Right on Jack!
Depends on what you use it for. I like looking at things from my younger days (Old Grey Whistle Test being one such thing) as at present there’s sod all on TV that I want to watch
agreed!!
Dats right Jack
All social media is a dumpster fire.
I could learn to live with less YouTube. It has gotten boring and repetitive.
It’s better to take family plan of 189.
Youtube premium should be totally free to everybody !!!!!!?????!!!!!?????!!!!!?????!!!!!