YouTube starting to detect and block ad-blockers

[Steve]

Apparently it's just an experiment that only affects a minority of users right now, but I can see them fully implementing this at some point.

[Steve]

This has been rolled out to the masses now.

Currently there are multiple stages to the warnings. Initially you get the warning message I originally posted above. If you ignore that, the next one you get is the same, but with a timer before you can dismiss it. If you ignore that, the next one tells you that you have 3 strikes, then you will be blocked from watching videos altogether. If you use up your 3 strikes then, as the warning said, you are blocked from watching videos altogether.

YouTube are being quite aggressive with their detection methods and for the last few days they've been updating them around 5 times per day in order to combat updated ad-blocking filters. So far, the creators of uBlock Origin have been very quick to update their filters to get around each detection attempt, so it's a cat and mouse game at the moment.

[djdiggla]

So far mine is working. I get it... youtube needs to monetize but the length and number of ads on some videos needs to be reeled in. 

[JHouse]

Yeah, my Ad Blockers are working well thus far, but will prolly oblige should YouTube attempt to shut my shit down. I live on YT for both entertainment and education (namely web design/development stuff). However, they have definitely gotten out of control with increasing ads and obnoxiousness. I feel they're ramping it up to annoy people to the point of paying. It's pretty fucked, so they kinda deserve ad blockers...but not the content creators.

I would sign up for the Premium solution, but not if they're terrorizing me to do so.

[cutdisco]

pretty annoying, haven't found a workaround yet

[Steve]

1 hour ago, cutdisco said:

pretty annoying, haven't found a workaround yet

1. Install uBlock Origin (uBO) or, if it's already installed, make sure it's up to date. Use the default filter lists.

2. Disable any other ad-blockers, including ones built into your browser and extensions that may have ad-blocking as a secondary function, e.g. some of those YouTube enhancement extensions.

3. If you've already reached the stage where YouTube has blocked you completely from watching videos, clear your cache/cookies, then sign back in.

Obviously, when YouTube update their script, it takes some time for the uBO people to update their filter list in response. You can see if the current script is defeated here: -

https://drhyperion451.github.io/does-uBO-bypass-yt/

If it says "YES" on that page, just make sure the "uBlock filters - Quick fixes" filter list is up to date and you're good to go. To update just that list, go into uBO's settings - Filter lists, click the little clock icon to the right of that particular filter list, then hit the blue "Update now" button.

If it says "NO" on that page, you will have to wait for the uBO team to update their filters. In the mean time, browse YouTube in a private/incognito tab. You won't be logged in, but you won't get any ads, nor the pop-up about ad-blockers not being allowed.

Currently YouTube update their script 1-2 times per day on weekdays.

[cutdisco]

thanks Steve, will dive into it, currently running firefox with add block plus here

[Steve]

It seems YouTube have been testing code on some Firefox users that introduces a 5 second delay before a video plays. If you spoof the browser ID so it appears you're using Chrome, even though you're not, the delay goes away. This is the piece of code: -

setTimeout(function() {
    c();
    a.resolve(1)
 }, 5E3);

All that does is introduce a delay of 5 x 10^3ms, i.e. 5 seconds, for no apparent reason.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that starting next year, Google will be introducing new rules for browser extensions that mean existing extensions like uBlock Origin will no longer be allowed if you're a Chrome user, but not if you use Firefox.

If you're using Firefox and you're getting the 5 second delay, add this to your custom filters in uBO: -

www.youtube.com##+js(nano-stb, resolve(1), *, 0.001)

EDIT - Some Chrome users are seeing the same issue, so it seems this isn't browser-specific after all. It's possibly an attempt at circumventing a method where the ads are played, but at a super-fast speed and they're skipped automatically ASAP, with the end result being that you get a barely noticeable blip in place of the ads.

Either way, adding that custom filter to uBO should sort it out.

[JHouse]

Nice one Steve, I will likely implement that code for Firefox.

[cutdisco]

I ended up using google chrome with ublock, works for now!