YouTube cracks down on third-party apps that block ads
What's the story
YouTube is escalating its fight against ad blockers, now extending its efforts to mobile platforms.
The video-sharing giant recently announced that users using third-party ad blocking apps could experience buffering issues or error messages stating, "The following content is not available on this app."
This move is part of a broader strategy initiated by YouTube last year to encourage users to either allow ads or upgrade to YouTube Premium.
Policy revision
YouTube has updated its policies to safeguard content creators' earnings
In a bid to safeguard content creators' earnings, YouTube has updated its policies to prohibit the use of third-party apps that disable ads.
This rule seems to specifically target mobile ad blockers like AdGuard, which allows users to watch YouTube videos without interruptions within the ad blocking app.
The platform has also started disabling videos for users who have an ad blocking extension activated.
Official statement
YouTube clarifies stance on third-party apps
YouTube has clarified its position on third-party apps, saying its policies don't allow "third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership."
"We only allow third-party apps to use our API when they follow our API Services Terms of Service," said the company.
"When we find an app that violates these terms, we will take appropriate action to protect our platform, creators, and viewers."