In case anyone is interested, YouTube have aggressively introduce some JavaScript that goes about detecting if you have an ad-blocker installed and if it finds one will not display the video.

This violates GDPR laws/regulations - Article 5(1)  - along with several other country establish privacy rules.

The issue is primarily that YouTube don't ask for consent to detect what one has installed on their computer.  Most anti-virus and malware products will block script that try to make such a detection for obvious reason, malware, trackers, etc.  YouTube are essentially telling users they will need to reduce their privacy in order to use YouTube which is actually NOT listed or defined in YouTube's terms of service.

If you want more information on this you can read here: 

https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/26/privacy_advocate_challenges_youtube/

I highly recommend you send YouTube feedback and request they cease and desist as they're the one's violating our privacy and asking us to put our computers and data at risk.

 

 

My recent experience with YouTube is that even if an ad blocker is turned off, there is still a good chance that YouTube will block video display. 

  The solution is quite simple.....

Interesting. I run an adblocker (AdGuard) and have never had any video blocked.

Youtube's war against my installed add blocker (ABP) started a couple weeks ago (I use Firefox browser). Since about 3 days ago the issue went away, and nothing has been blocked since. I do believe it's because ABP updated their app to counter act what TY had done. Google owns Chrome and Google owns Youtube. So that's why I use Firefox. It's not Google controlled on the Youtube page. Edge has too much bloat in the new tab screens for my liking.

Firefox addons:

Legibility to alter text size easily.

Playback Speed to alter video speeds with hot keys Alt < and >.

Nimbus Capture to download a full webpage as a PDF file.

Easy Video Youtube Downloader Pro (free) to download YT videos to hardrive.

 

I understand that youtube needs ads to get money. It makes sense.

Actually, I wouldn't be against having a few ads displayed here and there around the webpage interface. Static ads, not bothering the video, not harming me.

But no. websites in general HAVE TO choose stupid ads that make unwanted popup windows, tracnig you, stealing info from you. And youtube HAS to display not one but TWO ads in your video, in the beginning AND ALSO  DURING the video itself. And then they complain that we prefer to use ad blockers ? We wouldn't use ad blockers if ads were not such a PITA. They can kiss me right there, by the way.

 

Edited October 31, 20232 yr by Daube

On 10/30/2023 at 5:38 AM, W2DR said:

Interesting. I run an adblocker (AdGuard) and have never had any video blocked.

They often roll out changes to small groups initially, and then expand it over time.

https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/

Maybe if the ads weren't getting so obnoxious and the premium subscription so expensive, people wouldn't be trying so hard to block the ads.

In my case, MalwareBytes wasn't blocking the "Ads" it was blocking tracking.  

I don't particular like Ads but if it permits free usage then so be it, play the ad but don't track my activity.  Seems that advertiser want a way to know if their Ad triggered a sale or interest and hence the desire to go beyond just playing the Ad but actually determining if I responded to the Ad.  

The blocking playback issue seems to have gone away on all my PC's as of today.  Not sure if it was due to my feedback/complaint or YouTube realized their process is flawed. 

FYI, Google is owned by Alphabet Inc. (Larry Page and Sergey Brin) ... Google creators but technically Alphabet Inc. is almost a 2 Trillion $$ conglomerate. 

YouTube claim to be pushing their monthly service so as to be able to pay content creators more revenue from views/subs.  However, most content creators have publicly indicated that Ad money from YouTube is not sustainable (not even close) relative to the quantity and quality of content required.  Their sustainability comes from merchandising and having a large enough subscription base to attract sponsors that want "in video" ads (that are part of the video produced by the content created).

Either way, not going to break out the violins to a $2 Trillion conglomerate wanting me to pay $$ to NOT have Ads ... which isn't effective for content creators that make the Ads "in video" (there is no avoid those Ads).

Content created adds "in video" are easily fast forwarded through (in my case I just Alt + tapping > to zip through them at lightening speed. Then push Alt + M to reset the speed to normal (using Playback Speed free addon for Firefox).

I don't see the Google adds. None of them. (Firefox + freeware AddBlockerPro (ABP). But if using Chrome PC browser or iOs or Android tablet, then I would see them all. Chrome is a Google app and their addblockers therefore never work on Youtube.