YouTube once again blocking video playback for users with ad blockers like uBlock Origin

It appears the familiar battle lines are being drawn anew. YouTube users employing ad-blocking software, notably the popular uBlock Origin, are reporting a fresh wave of encountering the dreaded pop-up which was also spotted just a couple of months ago. This message declares that “Ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube,” effectively halting video playback for some. The platform seems to have re-escalated its efforts to ensure viewers either watch advertisements or subscribe to its Premium service.

This latest instance has sparked a flurry of reports from users on various forums, including Reddit and the Brave Browser community, as well as on X. Users on browsers like Firefox, Chrome, and Brave are sharing their experiences, with many noting that their previously effective ad blockers are suddenly failing them. The pop-up typically gives users two choices: “Allow YouTube Ads” or “Try YouTube Premium.”

Many rely on ad blockers not just to avoid interruptions but also to minimize data usage and potential exposure to malicious ads, of which there are many these days. Commenting under a post highlighting the bug on Reddit, one user said:

just got it right now too and it is not looking good wtf…

YouTube’s stance is that advertisements are crucial for supporting creators and keeping the platform free for billions globally. They consistently promote YouTube Premium as the ad-free alternative, which also allows creators to get paid from subscription revenue.

However, many users see this as an ongoing “game of cat and mouse.” As YouTube develops new ways to detect ad blockers, developers of these tools work to find ways around the blocks. This cycle has been repeating for some time, with periods of calm followed by renewed crackdowns.

Some users have reported temporary success with common troubleshooting steps. These include clearing browser cache and cookies, or updating the filter lists within their ad blocker’s settings. For instance, some Brave browser users discussed toggling built-in adblocker settings or waiting for updated filter lists, which seemed to resolve the issue for a period.

On the Vivaldi browser, some users who didn’t even have extensions installed reported seeing the message, pointing towards the browser’s built-in blocker being detected. That said, it’s likely that ad block devs will patch the issue soon, if they haven’t already. But as mentioned above, this game of cat and mouse seems to have no end. Who knows whether we’ll see the same issue pop-up after a few more weeks or not. One thing’s for sure, YouTube isn’t going to back down.

So if you don’t want to deal with this situation now and then but also don’t want to pay a lot for a Premium subscription, you might want to look into YouTube Premium Lite. This cheaper subscription option gives you an ad-free viewing experience with some caveats and is now expanded to five more countries. 

Feel free to let us know whether you’re experiencing the same problem or not in the comments section below.