April 16, 2024 at 02:02PM
YouTube has announced that third-party apps blocking ads during video playback violate its Terms of Service. Apps using YouTube APIs to block ads may soon be blocked from developer APIs, warning users may experience extended buffering or errors when loading videos. YouTube emphasized protecting creators’ revenue and suggests ad-free viewing through Premium subscriptions, priced from $13.99 to $18.99.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes:
– YouTube has announced a crackdown on third-party applications that block ads while watching YouTube videos, stating that it violates their Terms of Service and they will take action against these apps.
– Google provides various APIs for developers to integrate YouTube into their applications, but any apps using these APIs to block advertisements may soon be blocked from Google’s developer APIs.
– Users of ad-blocking apps may experience extended buffering or receive errors when trying to load videos on the platform.
– YouTube emphasizes that their terms do not allow third-party apps to turn off ads, as this prevents creators from earning revenue and supports creators and users of the streaming service.
– YouTube suggests users subscribe to Premium to enjoy the platform without ads, at a cost ranging between $13.99 and $18.99.
– YouTube has been experimenting with methods to crack down on ad blocking, including prompting users to disable ad blockers and restricting users of ad blockers to just three videos.
– In January, Adblock and Adblock Plus users reported performance issues on YouTube, which was later confirmed to be caused by a bug in the extension’s engine.
It’s important to note that BleepingComputer has reached out to Google for further clarification on what types of apps violate their API terms of service.