YouTube makes videos skip to end for ad-blocker users, prompting frustration among viewers

YouTube's latest move against ad-blocker users causes videos to skip to their endings. Users face frustration as the platform's battle with ad-blockers disrupts their viewing experience.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: May 29 2024, 07:08 IST
Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, YouTube killing off the music streaming business
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1/6 Published in INFORMS journal, 'Marketing Science', research revealed that the consumption of audio music streaming was significantly reduced due to people being locked inside their homes. (Unsplash)
YouTube makes videos skip to end for ad-blocker users
2/6 People have instead turned to video platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and Amazon Prime as a means of keeping them entertained and engaged. (Unsplash)
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3/6 According to Jaeung Sim of Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), "On average, audio music consumption decreased by more than 12% after the World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic declaration on March 11, 2020. As a result, during the pandemic, Spotify lost $838 million of revenue in the first three quarters of 2020, our results show that human mobility plays a much larger role in the audio consumption of music than previously thought." (Unsplash)
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4/6 The study was conducted by Sim alongside Daegon Cho also of KAIST, and called ‘Virus Shook the Streaming Star: Estimating the COVID-19 Impact on Music Consumption’. It determined the nature of changes by looking at the streaming data for top songs for two years in 60 countries, as well as COVID-19 case and lockdown statistics and daily mobility data in those areas. (Unsplash)
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5/6 Telang of Heinz College at CMU said "Despite the common expectation that the pandemic would universally benefit online media platforms, we found that it adversely impacted music streaming services, our findings imply that the substantially changing media consumption environment can put streaming music in a fiercer competition against other media forms that offer more dynamic and vivid experiences to consumers." (Unsplash)
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6/6 The study revealed that the consumption of music had a direct correlation with lockdown restrictions associated with COVID-19 and the time spent at home. (Unsplash)
YouTube makes videos skip to end for ad-blocker users
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YouTube is causing frustration for ad-blocker users as videos mysteriously skip to their endings unexpectedly. (Unsplash)

YouTube's crackdown on adblocker users has taken a new turn, leaving many frustrated as videos mysteriously skip to their endings. In recent months, the platform has escalated efforts to deter ad-blocker usage. Initially, users encountered prompts urging them to disable their ad-blockers to watch videos. Ignoring these requests led to videos refusing to play altogether, prompting users to either uninstall their ad-blockers or seek alternative solutions.

Videos Fast-Forwarding to Endings

However, a fresh issue emerged this week: YouTube videos abruptly fast-forward to their conclusions for many ad-blocker users. Whether restarting the video or attempting to skip to a specific segment, the outcome remains the same – an instant leap to the finale. This peculiar behaviour seems exclusive to users with ad-blockers enabled; once disabled, videos play smoothly without interruptions.

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Endless Loading Loops

The glitch extends beyond video initiation, with users reporting endless loading loops when trying to navigate within a video. Speculation arises as to whether YouTube deliberately engineers these setbacks to discourage ad-blocker usage. While plausible, there's a chance the issue stems from the ad-blockers themselves.

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Earlier this year, a bug in AdBlock caused sluggish video loading, blamed initially on YouTube. Interestingly, most affected users now predominantly use AdBlock, with other ad-blockers showing no such anomalies. Though isolated cases exist without adblockers, they constitute a minority.

For affected users, frustration mounts as videos prematurely conclude or loop endlessly, rendering the platform nearly unusable. This dilemma forces a choice between enduring ads by disabling ad-blockers or switching to alternatives that don't disrupt viewing.

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In short, whether YouTube engineers these issues or they originate from specific ad-blockers remains uncertain. What's evident is users are caught in the crossfire between YouTube and ad-blockers, resulting in a disrupted viewing experience. Currently, disabling ad-blockers appears the most pragmatic solution, but vigilance is necessary for future updates or remedies.

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First Published Date: 28 May, 12:33 IST
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