YouTube is testing a new tool that would disable videos for users with an ad blocker enabled and urge them to turn it off.
The company confirmed that it was running “a small experiment globally that urges viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium.”
The new move sees YouTube toughen its stance against ad blockers and is justifying the move to users by explaining that ad dollars are critical to compensating creators for their content and enabling the platform to remain free.
“Ad blocker detection is not new, and other publishers regularly ask viewers to disable ad blockers,” Google spokesperson Oluwa Falodun told The Verge by email.
The company confirmed that users will receive multiple notifications urging them to cease using the tools or subscribe to YouTube Premium before having their video viewing experience disrupted.
“We take disabling playback very seriously, and will only disable playback if viewers ignore repeated requests to allow ads on YouTube,” added Falodun.
“In cases when viewers feel they have been falsely flagged as using an ad blocker, they can share this feedback by clicking on the link in the prompt.”
YouTube is also becoming more serious about its advertising product, having recently announced big changes to its YouTube TV platform including 30-second unskippable ads.
YouTube Premium, meanwhile, removes ads from the platform and offers offline downloads and YouTube Music Premium for $14.99 per month.
