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I totally forgot how terrible a non-ad-free YouTube experience is (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by bermuda@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

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So I've been using youtube ad blockers since pretty much when ad blocker extensions were first available. Lately though I've been getting hit more and more with these messages that YT was sending out every 5 or so videos telling me that adblockers aren't allowed. No problem, just gotta wait 5 seconds to x it out and then close my video. The straw that broke the camel's back though was when instead of a close-able pop-up, they just posted it in front of a video and wouldn't let me watch anything until I disabled my adblocker.

So I disabled it and... wow. It's just so, so, trash. 2 ads before a video plus midrolls and every video ever. I tried listening to a playlist of songs and was getting a midroll ad every single time. Imagine trying to just listen to music for 3 minutes and getting interrupted by a commercial for a chevy silverado! Half the ads were for youtube premium and they specifically mentioned that it would get rid of all the ads. It just felt so damn predatory. I couldn't enjoy anything that wasn't already demonetized.

And you know I'm fine with ads I guess. I could live with an ad before every video, but the fact that I was getting upwards of 5 ads in a 10 minute video was just plain absurd. I also hate that youtube got rid of the yellow markers to show you when an ad was coming up, so now it's just out of nowhere and always interrupts a key part of the video.

E: I've been on Firefox for over a year.

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[–] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago (12 children)

I haven't had to deal with video ads for years simply because I don't use the website and use patched APKs to block ads. I'm thinking it was/is the right choice due to gøøgl€'s ongoing war against ad blocking in general. Don't know a solution to the browser problem outside of using alternative frontends like libretube or invidious or whatever if you don't mind not logging in.

[–] locuester@lemmy.zip 3 points 1 year ago (11 children)

Another option is paying a couple bucks and not having to worry about it. Might even make you feel good knowing you’re supporting the platform.

I don’t fault you for tinkering and finding ways around it - that’s fun. But in the end, you’re leeching off a service you enjoy.

[–] Deemo@bookwormstory.social 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I know this isn’t YouTube’s fault but one thing that bugs me about yet premium is when creators dump baked in ads.

As a user you have 3 options:

Deal with it and manual skip (in a way this feels like skipping commercials on cable tv Dvr)
Get ready to buy a ton of patreon subscriptions (kills the point of getting yt premium).
Get a modded client/ use browser extensions and use sponsorblock

Now the one exception to this is nebula where like YouTube you pay an all access fee but no baked in ads (I pay for this currently).

I do wonder if creators had the option to make videos available via YouTube premium only (say early access and no baked in ads). Would more people pay and would creators use this system? (They wouldn’t have to worry about demonetization).

Curious on your thoughts

[–] lionel@toot.coupou.fr 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@Deemo @locuester About the first option, if you're talking about sponsor sections, you can autoskip them using #sponsorblock. It's an addon which does... well... what the name says.

[–] Deemo@bookwormstory.social 1 points 1 year ago

I do use sponsorblock 😅

Only gripe is your stuck to the web version of youtube (especially on ios).

If you want sponsorblock in the native youtube app you have to side load a mod which means either dealing with apple's 7 day limit refresh or paying for a apple dev acount/ signing service subscription.

Android there is revanced (no sideloading subscriptions needed).

On a final note I am considering trying https://grayjay.app/

It bundles odessy, nebula, youtube and a few other platforms in one app (it also includes sponsorblock and return dislikes for youtube).

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