I’m sure many of you are already aware that YouTube has been rolling out anti-adblock detection for Chrome users for a few weeks now.
Today, as a long time Firefox user with the fantastic uBlock Origin extension installed, I got my first anti-adblock popup on the platform. Note that this may not happen to you personally for a while, but it is inevitably coming for everyone.
Thankfully, the fine folks at uBlock Origin have already advised a simple workaround (on Reddit, yuck!) which I will duplicate in a simplified form below for your convenience. I have tested it on Firefox and it is working fine for me (so far).
PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS POST.
Update uBO to the latest version (1.52.0+) . <== The extension itself, for technical improvements. You do this in your browser.
Remove your custom config / reset to defaults. <== This means removing your custom filters (or disabling My filters) and disabling ALL additional lists you’ve enabled. It might be quicker to make a backup of your config and restore to defaults instead.
Force an update of your Filter Lists. <== This is within the extension. Lists are what determine what’s blocked or not. How to update Filter lists: Click 🛡️ uBO’s icon > the ⚙ Dashboard button > the Filter lists pane > the 🕘 Purge all caches button > the 🔃 Update now button.
Disable all other extensions AND your browser’s built-in blockers. <== No need to uninstall, just disable them. They might interfere with our solutions.
Make sure you follow all 4 points above. If you’re seeing the message, it’s likely due to your custom config (either additional lists or separate filters in My filters).
Restarting your browser afterwards may help too.
Once you’ve gotten rid of the issue on default settings, you can slowly start restoring your config (if you really need it). Do it gradually, to easier find out what was causing the issue in the first place. Once you find the culprit, simply skip it in your config.
If you want to use Enhancer for YouTube*, you have to* disable its adblocking*.*
May the force uBlock Origin be with you!
Update
Just wanted to mention a few things that have been pointed out in the comments:
- There are quite a few projects that provide an alternative ad-free front end to YouTube. These include Invidious, FreeTube, LibreTube, Newpipe, Revanced, and I’m sure there are several more options I’ve missed. I don’t have any particular preference really but I routinely use NewPipe on my cellphone just because I tried it once and couldn’t be bothered trying all the others.
- In step 4 listed above, to clarify, afaik you only need to remove adblocker extensions (if you have more than one installed) that might conflict with the uBlock Origin rules and trigger the anti-adblock, not all extensions.
- If you hate non-stop ads but want to support your favorite content creators then be sure to give them some love on Patreon or whatever alternative options they provide. Creators typically make only a tiny, tiny fraction of what YouTube makes in ad revenue, assuming YouTube doesn’t just outright steal the lot, and it’s a shitty business model that’s ruining the internet. Even if you watch the ads, you’re only supporting YouTube most of the time, not the creators.
Maybe it is time that we start to write our favourite youtubers to start developing alternative means of distributing their videos. Patreon and so on.
I feel there will be a lot less people watching YouTube in the future and as a whole many youtubers will see their revenue drop significantly. Watching YouTube as a whole will become less and less bearable. I watch videos without ads on my pc, but on mobile i use the app and endure the videos (for now) as the app is just nicer to use compared to the browser.
But if I have to see ads all the time (also these unskippable 20s ads) I think I’ll simply stop using YouTube all together. about 90% ofy YouTube use isn’t neccessary at all. I’ll just watch it, because I’m too lazy to do anything else.
I could be should read a book instead. Maybe others will do that too in the future?
That’s called nebula.tv
Must I pay to watch content on the Nebula Platform?
So, you won’t even click a link and glance at a platform unless it’s free (/ has ads that you can bypass with a blocker)?
Here’s the important bits…
Obviously yes I will click & check out the different channels, etc. For me the name is new, so I had to ask. I am used to ads being shown such as in YouTube.
Yep, that’s the whole point of Nebula
Well, the alternative would be it is free, but we’re the product and we’d cry for another more honest and credible services like we’re doing right now.
I think Nebula is only $3 a month? So, you’re only paying €36 per year which is inexpensive compared to other subscription services. There is a once off payment of $300 and you have a lifetime subscription. The price is cheap for a lifetime subscription assuming Nebula, you and I will be around for more decades to make it worthwhile.
Nebula also have promo codes to tie the subscription prices with other streaming services like Curiosity Stream and other classroom/tutorial websites. I think I am paying $15 per year for both Nebula and Curiosity Stream.
Appreciate the info you provided.
Yes. Making videos is a job and the creators need money to eat and remain housed, it’s reasonable for them to want to be compensated for their work.
Yes. $5/$50 mo/year
https://nebula.tv/
They also do periodic specials where it’s a free bundle with Curiosity Stream. When I signed up, the bundle was less expensive than the standalone Nebula subscription. I haven’t gotten much mileage out of Curiosity Stream. If it wasn’t less expensive, I’d just get Nebula.
Too much use of patroeon would be awful. I dont want cable 3.0 where I’m forced to pay for every Chanel
It also sucks if all the content is exclusively paywalled. I wouldn’t know what is or isn’t good without potentially wasting my hard earned money. I can’t even afford rent let alone a series of patreon services. I support creators when I can, but I refuse to be a fucking product for simply being poor.
Don’t know how it is elsewhere, but in Germany there’s a lot of podcasts that are donation bashed. There are some that have their “basic”-content (their main podcast for example) free and additional stuff behind a paywall.
The most famous one that does it like this in the US would be Chapo Trap House.
True. I just used it as a stand-in for other ways of making content + earning something while doing it.
If everytthing is on Patreon it might be slightly better, but not good
Haha yah right. Most people just watch the ads or pay for premium. And it has been shown again and again most people don’t want to pay for anything.
Get fdroid and download newpipe or alternative if you want to keep an app for YouTube without ads.
Alternative web front ends also exist if you are okay with watching videos in a mobile browser. I use an invidious instance, pick one that’s close to you here. Other front ends also exist.
Alternative video platforms such as LBRY also exist and I’ve found a few youtubers I watched on it.
Absolutely take it as an opportunity to reduce your video content consumption. I like the invidious solution because I don’t get notifications and it takes a bit more effort to manually open the link in the web client so I tend not to watch videos I’m only half interested in.
Edit: froid => fdroid
FDroid
Since RIF went down I’ve read a lot more. Some dry history stuff, a few thrillers, a re-read of a book I initially read in High School and now The Hobbit for the first time.
If anyone here doesn’t know your local library probably has access to different ebook apps. Mine mainly does libby and a few others too. Anyway it helps your library, and you get to read all kinds of stuff for free.
Floatplane perhaps.
or lbry/odyssey
reading is definetely fun too. bought myself a nice little piracy friendly e-reader but if you’re on android, consider installing youtube revanced.
Any recommendations on a piracy-friendly e-reader? I don’t want to go around the world to get root access either if I can help it.
I like my Kobo combined with Calibre. I’ve ever replaced the default software, just modded it. But you can completely change the software on it if you want.
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo_eReader_hacks
i have a kobo libra 2. it can read pretty much any e-book file out of the box. though it has pretty limited storage at 8gb. enough for text only, but good luck building up a manga collection.