[SOLVED]Youtube - Apparently unblockable and long/multiple adverts, New policy

[MK14]

Youtube - Apparently unblockable and long/multiple adverts, New policy

Early indications are that LONG adverts = 1 minute duration each, repeating about every 6 minutes (very rough estimate).

It may be switching the advert(s) into the video stream itself (I'm NOT sure), which would make them much harder to block.
E.g. Adblock plus. (which I am currently using).

I absolutely CAN'T stand adverts, and find them WAY too distracting. It could easily massively reduce my consumption of youtube videos.

EDIT: I may be reacting TOO quickly. It might be that adblock plus needs more time to fix this.
On the other hand, sooner or later youtube might end up doing this (unblockable adverts via video feed), so it is still a valid point.

Here is the one which keeps on having at least two built in, and long adverts.

[MK14]

WILD SPECULATION
Google may introduce some kind of "pass" system (I think they may have already talked about it previously). Pushing people into getting a sort of subscription for youtube to make it advert free.

If the charges are reasonable and if they guarantee that the content producers see much of that money. I may not feel that it is such a bad thing. Since people pay for other media sources, such as some TV channels, Netflix, DVDs/blu-rays etc.
Maybe it even allows extra free, similar to paid for content as well, such as extra full length movies etc.

[EEVblog]

WILD SPECULATION
Google may introduce some kind of "pass" system (I think they may have already talked about it previously). Pushing people into getting a sort of subscription for youtube to make it advert free.

No need for speculation, that's precisely what Youtube Red subscription does.

[RGB255_0_0]

uBlock Origin has no idea what you're even talking about. 

[MK14]

[No need for speculation, that's precisely what Youtube Red subscription does.

I'd heard about it a while ago, but wasn't sure about how far ahead with it they were going. But once I learned that it was NOT available in the UK. I stopped reading about it, and somewhat forgot about it.
Apparently (I just googled it), it is coming out in the UK in 2017. I don't know the details, or if it has started yet.

In partial defense of google. It must cost them a lot of money to host the youtube services. providing the extensive bandwidth, computing power and underlying software etc.
Then there is the cost of people to watch out for bad videos etc.

So with the ever increasing number of people using adblocking techniques and software. They (google) had to do something about it sooner or later.

tl;dr
This is like having to take horrible tasting, nasty medicine. But you HAVE to take it, otherwise things would get worse in the future. I.e. Youtube (division of google) would go bankrupt.

[MK14]

uBlock Origin has no idea what you're even talking about. 

Thanks for that suggestion, I must try that I mean, I like watching the adverts so much, I can't use it.
I'm trying it now.

EDIT:
I just tried it (uBlock Origin extension add on to Chrome browser), and I'm still getting the adverts.

[RGB255_0_0]

Maybe it's per user (Google loves betas) 

[kalel]

uBlock Origin has no idea what you're even talking about. 

Thanks for that suggestion, I must try that I mean, I like watching the adverts so much, I can't use it.
I'm trying it now.

EDIT:
I just tried it (uBlock Origin extension add on to Chrome browser), and I'm still getting the adverts.

There are some video players that can play YouTube. One of them has an extension, called Potplayer. E.g. you have to click "Scroll button" to play the video from the player, and you have to do it for each video (actually playlists work too). It could get annoying for watching many short videos, but if you get ads then, the only explanation would be that they are built into the video stream.

[MK14]

Maybe it's per user (Google loves betas) 

It's quite possible.
That could be what has happened.

Here is the what I saw:
I've cutout the un-needed bits and compressed it. Also the ublock origin icon has been cut out and re-inserted into the picture.

[MK14]

There are some video players that can play YouTube. One of them has an extension, called Potplayer. E.g. you have to click "Scroll button" to play the video from the player, and you have to do it for each video (actually playlists work too). It could get annoying for watching many short videos, but if you get ads then, the only explanation would be that they are built into the video stream.

That sounds similar to my contingency plans.
If youtube/google end up doing this long term, and there is no (unauthorized) way round it. Assuming the subscription service (red) is too expensive and/or I end up NOT getting it.

I would try and pre-download the videos (similar or the same as you seem to be saying). Then I can fast-forward past any adverts. A bit like you can with TVs and video recorders or later hard disk playback devices.

[kalel]

There are some video players that can play YouTube. One of them has an extension, called Potplayer. E.g. you have to click "Scroll button" to play the video from the player, and you have to do it for each video (actually playlists work too). It could get annoying for watching many short videos, but if you get ads then, the only explanation would be that they are built into the video stream.

That sounds similar to my contingency plans.
If youtube/google end up doing this long term, and there is no (unauthorized) way round it. Assuming the subscription service (red) is too expensive and/or I end up NOT getting it.

I would try and pre-download the videos (similar or the same as you seem to be saying). Then I can fast-forward past any adverts. A bit like you can with TVs and video recorders or later hard disk playback devices.

I believe that those players are capable of streaming the videos, so you could theoretically click on any part of the video, and it will start loading from there. They probably don't actually download and keep the files.

That said, perhaps you will still get the ads.

[MK14]

I believe that those players are capable of streaming the videos, so you could theoretically click on any part of the video, and it will start loading from there. They probably don't actually download and keep the files.

That said, perhaps you will still get the ads.

When you watch it, with the actual youtube running in a webpage. When these adverts show, it FREEZES out the normal time controls etc. So you can't attempt to move forward in time (to dodge the advert).

But if it is someone else player (such as the ones you are suggesting), you could just jump forward in time (assuming it has loaded its buffers that far), by 1 minute. Hence dodging the advert (but It would still be a nuisance and a bit of a distraction).

It could be (as someone else posted about earlier), an initial (beta) test, just on some people. So they may NOT end up rolling this out permanently.

When I googled this problem, it said that one possibility is that the adverts only show when you are signed into youtube (which I am currently).

[RoGeorge]

Maybe this is because Chrome is made by Google?

Try 'uBlock Origin', but with Mozilla.
This is what I am using, and I see no adds. Not in the video, not aside the video, no pre or post video insertions, no pop-ups, nothing but clean videos.

[bd139]

I download the videos with netvideohunter plugin then drop them into iTunes and sync my phone. Sounds like a lot of hassle but zero ads and no mobile data when I'm out is a must.

[MK14]

Maybe this is because Chrome is made by Google?

Try 'uBlock Origin', but with Mozilla.
This is what I am using, and I see no adds. Not in the video, not aside the video, no pre or post video insertions, no pop-ups, nothing but clean videos.

I've done what you said, and so far it has worked. (No adverts yet, but it is VERY early days).

So I did a clean install of Mozilla (Firefox), and when it asked to copy stuff (history/bookmarks/passwords etc) from Chrome I said "NO!".

Then I installed ublock origin. I've NOT signed into youtube (in Mozilla), and won't while conducting this test, for the time being.

I then played back a youtube video, which was (in Chrome) ALWAYS currently starting with an advert. But in Mozilla it isn't (i.e. no adverts) so far.

I will have to try it a lot longer, to see if it continues to work.

[Mr. Scram]

Youtube - Apparently unblockable and long/multiple adverts, New policy

Early indications are that LONG adverts = 1 minute duration each, repeating about every 6 minutes (very rough estimate).

It may be switching the advert(s) into the video stream itself (I'm NOT sure), which would make them much harder to block.
E.g. Adblock plus. (which I am currently using).

I absolutely CAN'T stand adverts, and find them WAY too distracting. It could easily massively reduce my consumption of youtube videos.

EDIT: I may be reacting TOO quickly. It might be that adblock plus needs more time to fix this.
On the other hand, sooner or later youtube might end up doing this (unblockable adverts via video feed), so it is still a valid point.

Here is the one which keeps on having at least two built in, and long adverts.

Unless Youtube also blocks skipping ahead in videos for the whole video, there should always be a way. It is up to Youtube to present ads in such a way that they are safe, so no 100 trackers following your every move, and that they are unobtrusive enough to be acceptable. By making more obnoxious ads, the world is just going to try to block them with more fervour.

I am all for rewarding those who provide services, but not at all costs. Even though blocking any and all ads does not seem to be very fair towards the makers of content, it is the response of people being fed up of being tracked and bombarded.

[ataradov]

They started making ads look like regular youtube videos, they are actually hosted as unlisted videos on the advertiser's site. There is no easy way to block them.

I just got YouTube Red, it is totally worth the money. Until someone figures out a good way to block those ads again.

Also, a trick I used to "skip" those unskippable ads - just refresh the page, until RNG decides you don't need an ad. Obviously only works for pre-roll stuff.

[MK14]

They started making ads look like regular youtube videos, they are actually hosted as unlisted videos on the advertiser's site. There is no easy way to block them.

I just got YouTube Red, it is totally worth the money. Until someone figures out a good way to block those ads again.

The thing is, youtube for me these days. Is acting like additional TV channels.

E.g.
Numerous Electronics channels.
Vintage Computers (old films/programmes about them).
Latest Computer Technology channels.
Etc.

So I can sort of justify youtube red, potentially. Just as you have.
I'm NOT sure if it is available in the UK yet. I think it is NOT available, currently.

It depends on how much it is (I know it is $10 in the US), but that can translate into anything from £5 to £12, for the UK. Depending on exchange rates and how google decide to do it. (I have seen it mentioned somewhere, that it is expected to be £10/month in the UK).
Also what youtube Red actually offers, in the UK.

[bd139]

Either way I'm not paying for it. I pay for Apple Music currently which I see as valuable as there are 5 of us and 9 devices in the family so it represents good value for the content and replaces the amount of time I was fiddling with mp3s before.

As far as I'm concerned with video content, because you can't do anything else while watching videos unlike music, your attention is my payment (sorry Dave) as my time is valuable. I will pick and choose content to watch carefully and only consume it in dead time.

[Ampera]

Currently using traditional adblock (white hand) and I got no ads on the video, or anywhere else. There will always be a constant battle for ads, but if they completely make the ads unblockable I'll just buy Youtube Red. It's not THAT expensive, and I get some premium content from people like VSauce, and an easier ability to download videos, especially on mobile devices, which I love being a video pack rat.

It would be nice if they reduced the price, maybe even to 5 bucks a month, or included better plans, but it's still not a terrible thing.

[RoGeorge]

... I've NOT signed into youtube (in Mozilla) ...

FYI, I am always logged into YouTube, because I want to see when new videos are available from the channels I am subscribed to. I don't like notifications or unsolicited messages of any kind, so when I have time, I am polling to see if something has appeared by clicking on a shortcut that was placed to the 'Bookmarks Toolbar'.

This is how I browse YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/feed/subscriptions

[Mr. Scram]

Either way I'm not paying for it. I pay for Apple Music currently which I see as valuable as there are 5 of us and 9 devices in the family so it represents good value for the content and replaces the amount of time I was fiddling with mp3s before.

As far as I'm concerned with video content, because you can't do anything else while watching videos unlike music, your attention is my payment (sorry Dave) as my time is valuable. I will pick and choose content to watch carefully and only consume it in dead time.

Paying Google, who is already makes piles of money collecting all sorts of data, also with actual money does not sit right. If paying meant opting out of any and all data collection, I would not mind spending a fair amount at all.

[BrianHG]

@MK14, what are you talking about.  Get rid of your ad blocker.  I have no ad blocker and the youtube video you posted had no video ads in it.  Just 3 little pop-up banners at 3 points in the video.  Your ad blocker is making youtube give your extraneous ads which isn't even an issue on your linked video for those of us who don't cheat.

[MK14]

@MK14, what are you talking about.  Get rid of your ad blocker.  I have no ad blocker and the youtube video you posted had no video ads in it.  Just 3 little pop-up banners at 3 points in the video.  Your ad blocker is making youtube give your extraneous ads which isn't even an issue on your linked video for those of us who don't cheat.

As a result of my ad-blocker, I had received no adverts on youtube, for a long time. Maybe the last 12 months. When using Chrome on this computer, with the ad-blocker enabled. Unless I opened an incognito window.

That particular advert, seems to be targeted at me in particular (or rather the marketing group(s) which google have probably assigned to me). My understanding (but I'm GUESSING) is that adverts are targeted at users, rather than necessarily being 100% connected to particular videos. Although particular videos (e.g. EEVblog = Electronics - Electronics related adverts make sense), also probably trigger things at google as well.
There is probably lots of information about it on the internet (online adverts, and how they work), but I've probably never read them, and have little interest in them.

If I use Chrome now, it still tries to show me that advert (so I stop and close it, almost immediately).

So far the Mozilla/Firefox has been ad free. So I will keep at it (use it when I watch youtube), and see if it continues to be ad-free long term.

If I open an incognito window in Chrome (it hides all your cookies and other private stuff), it shows a different 20 second advert (or rather tries to, I stop it after about 2 seconds, lol).
It seems to be a more generic British Gas advert.

Anyway, in time the truth will come out, as regards this Google/Adverts VS ad-blockers etc VS Google Red subscriptions.

I'm surprised it seems to be only me so far. Googling for this issue (raised recently in the last week), ironically mainly brings up this thread 

So it could be a problem with my setup (which has weakened the ad-blockers) or something.

[IanB]

Here is the one which keeps on having at least two built in, and long adverts.

Well, I had to speed it up to 2x and then skip forward with the mouse to avoid getting bored, but I didn't see any adverts. So if there are special embedded adverts they may be region specific.