YouTube’s latest move in its ongoing campaign against ad blockers now affects mobile users who utilize third-party applications to watch videos without interruptions. As of Monday, YouTube has updated its policies to clarify that users employing such apps might face technical difficulties, including buffering and specific error messages indicating restricted content availability.
In its commitment to uphold content monetization, YouTube initiated a global campaign last year, encouraging viewers to disable ad blockers or subscribe to its Premium service for an uninterrupted viewing experience. The platform had already disabled access to certain content for users employing ad-blocking extensions.
The focus is now on mobile ad-blocking applications like AdGuard, which allow users to watch YouTube videos seamlessly by circumventing ads. YouTube’s updated policy explicitly prohibits third-party applications from blocking ads, emphasizing that such actions deprive content creators of deserved earnings.
“YouTube’s API is accessible to third-party apps only if they comply with our API Services Terms of Service,” stated YouTube. “We will take decisive actions against any app found breaching these terms to safeguard our ecosystem, its creators, and the audience.”
As a solution, YouTube continues to advocate for its Premium service, which offers an ad-free experience. While this development may frustrate users reliant on ad-blocking apps, YouTube shows no signs of relenting in its effort to enforce these new standards.
By Andrej Kovacevic
Updated on 23rd April 2024