YouTube is waging a tough fight against ad blockers, and it appears that the video-sharing giant’s moves have already had a significant impact, as many users have finally given in.
Over the past few months, YouTube has been gradually tightening the screws on ad-blocking software, and this week, his campaign reached its full potential, affecting ad blocker users around the world. In fact, the American giant has simply blocked the viewing of videos on its platform as long as an ad blocker is activated.
As Wired reports, this intensification of repression has triggered a mass exodus of ad blockers, “ hundreds of thousands » of users who chose to uninstall their ad blocking software. These could soon become millions, as YouTube’s new policy affects all users of the platform, regardless of the device used.
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Internet users are fleeing ad blockers because of YouTube
Ad blocking companies have seen an increase in uninstalls and a significant rise in new installs as users scramble to find alternatives to maintain their ad-free experience on the platform. Ghostery, an ad blocking company, revealed that 90% of users who participated in a survey during the uninstall process cited YouTube’s new metrics as the main reason for their decision.
AdGuard, another major ad blocking service, informed Wired that daily uninstalls increased throughout October, reaching a peak of 52,000 in a single day on October 18, as reviews and actions of YouTube were starting to affect more users.
Interestingly, some users have found temporary solutions by switching browsers. For example, usage of ad blocker Ghostery increased by 30% among Microsoft Edge users. Switching browsers appears to temporarily lift restrictions on their ad blockersbut this respite is only short-lived.
AdGuard even reports seeing an increase in its paid subscriptions, which seems to prove that users are desperate for effective tools to maintain their ad-free experience on YouTube. And you, have these new measures pushed you to uninstall your ad blocker or take out a Premium subscription? Don’t hesitate to tell us in the comments.