No more ad-free videos: YouTube no longer works with ad blockers enabled

YouTube has stopped working with the ad blocker enabled: from now on it will be impossible to watch videos on the service without advertising -- instead of a video sequence, users with a modified application will see an error message saying that the content is not available in that application -- and a recommendation to update the application.

The first user complaints about this innovation began to appear on various forums in late March and early April. YouTube says its terms of service do not allow ad blocking because it prevents content creators from receiving compensation for their work. They also emphasize that advertising on YouTube helps support creators and ensures access to the service for billions of users around the world.

For those who do not want to see advertisements, it is recommended to subscribe to a paid YouTube Premium subscription, which will allow users to enjoy videos without interruptions by advertising inserts.

YouTube began actively combating ad blocker extensions in the web version of the service last year. Now the company has decided to fight against “hacked” applications that are popular among Android users. YouTube monitors the use of its API by third-party applications and is ready to take action against violators. This is done to protect the platform, content creators and viewers, company representatives say.

Modded versions of YouTube offer a wide range of features, including watching videos without ads, the ability to skip intrusive elements in videos, downloading content, listening to videos with the screen off, and much more. Many of these features are not available even with an active YouTube Premium subscription.