YouTube may soon add strikes on users blocking ‘ads’

You won’t be able to use adblockers on YouTube soon. Video streaming site YouTube is conducting a small experiment worldwide that will apply a playback ban on users using adblockers to skip ads.

Dubbed the three strikes policy, YouTube will send you prompts to allow ads on video playbacks. The policy dictates if you ignore the prompts multiple times (three as per the policy), YouTube will apply a temporary playback ban.

YouTube’s terms and services already mention that the use of AdBlock is not allowed on the platform. However, it is a widely used method to steer away from repeated ads on the platform. It will be the first time the video streaming site will enforce rules on the miscreant. YouTube says that those who use adblockers are impacting the profitability of the platform and thus, such measures are being taken to eradicate the use of adblockers for the same.

At the moment, there are two ways to skip ads. The first is as said, using adblocker and another is by using YouTube Premium. The three-strikes policy will affect those using the former method to skip ads.

Do note that YouTube is experimenting with a small group of users. You might be a part of the test program and receive prompts to allow ads. There’s a possibility that the system will falsely flag you for using an ad blocker, however, the experiment will discover necessary use cases and contingencies before YiuTube could launch the policy publically.