Some YouTube users claim that YouTube mutes or skips the end of videos for users who use ad blockers as a kind of punishment. This is YouTube’s continued campaign to stop ad blockers and persuade viewers to subscribe to YouTube Premium.
Users report new issues
A number of users voiced their complaints about these new issues on Reddit, saying that videos would end as soon as they started.
One user stated, “When I use an ad blocker, my videos play without sound. But when I turn off the ad blocker, the sound works fine.”
“Even if I replay the video, it skips straight to the end almost immediately,” said another user.
Ad blockers violate YouTube’s rules
Ad blockers are prohibited by YouTube’s terms of service, as the platform has made clear. By accepting advertisements or by subscribing to YouTube Premium, which provides an ad-free experience, they encourage viewers to support content creators.
Workarounds
Some users have found ways to work around these issues by using a browser extension called Ad Speedup that allows users to “watch” ads at 16 times their normal speed. Others have reported that setting their VPN location to Albania, a country where Google’s ad platform doesn’t work, allows them to watch videos without ads.
Despite these problems, many users are reluctant to pay for YouTube Premium. One person on social media said, “I would rather pay for a premium ad blocker that can block ads on YouTube and other sites than pay for YouTube Premium.”
YouTube’s ongoing battle
As YouTube continues to push for more users to pay for YouTube Premium, the battle between the platform and ad blocker users shows no sign of ending. In the meantime, YouTube users who prefer not to see ads will have to choose between disabling their ad blockers or dealing with a disrupted viewing experience.