YouTube is further cracking down on the use of ad-blockers. A Cord Cutters News reader pointed out multiple Reddit discussion threads focused on the same issue: if a viewer had an ad-blocker installed on their browser, YouTube wouldn’t load properly — sometimes not at all.
“Recently, many netizens on Reddit reported that the YouTube website stopped loading when using the uBlock Origin plug-in in their browser,” our reader told us via email. “When the plugin is disabled, the page will start loading normally again.”
YouTube wasn’t immediately available for comment.
Multiple Reddit users cited having to disable uBlock Origin, an ad-blocker browser extension.
When I downloaded and enabled the uBlock Origin extension on Microsoft Edge, the YouTube video I was watching lost sound. While I could still see the available videos on the main page, no videos had sound. When I closed YouTube and opened it again, sound was working. It’s possible the ad-blocking system is stricter in Google Chrome, where several Reddit users reported encountering problems.
Reddit user Redforce850 said their YouTube screen was black on their Google Chromebook. The page began working once they disabled the browser extensions. SpinninAndChillin reported a similar black screen when uBlock Origin was enabled. Various-Flamingo-591 said they didn’t encounter problems with uBlock Origin in Firefox, but some users still had trouble on the other browser.
“Anyone know why YouTube looks like this?” Reddit user Zyroes asked after sharing an image of a blacked-out YouTube page. “I’m on Firefox and updated the browser to try to fix the problem, but that changed nothing. If I load a video from a tab that already had it open, it won’t [full screen] properly and I can’t see comments.”
YouTube has been working to eliminate ad-blocker use for a while now. In July, the video platform tested a blocking system that would block video playback until the ad-blocker was disabled. The latest Reddit discussions appear to be proof of further implementation of the system. Google, YouTube’s owner, had $7.6 billion in ad revenues at the end of the 2nd quarter of 2023. YouTube has also been trying to get more viewers to watch ads by testing a smaller “Skip Ads” button, 30-second un-skippable ads and longer ad breaks.
YouTube offers an ad-free experience with its premium tier, YouTube TV. The site is running a limited time offer to pay $65 a month for your first three months. After that time, you’ll pay $73 a month for the YouTube TV base plan.
Have you had trouble loading YouTube with an ad-blocker installed? Let us know in the comments.