Recently, Google has escalated its efforts against ad blocker usage, leading to widespread user dissatisfaction. An alarming trend has emerged where viewers are encountering unskippable advertisements lasting up to three hours, leaving many bewildered especially when the content they wish to view is significantly shorter.

The situation caught the attention of Android Authority, which highlighted various discussions from users on platforms like Reddit. Contributors such as Lin1ex and Standard-Slip6572 shared their experiences through screenshots, illustrating the absurdly long ad interruptions. Further claims from other users mentioned the possibility of encountering ads as long as 10 hours or even 90 hours, though these assertions were not substantiated by any visual proof.

The phenomenon may appear somewhat implausible, which raises valid concerns. Some screenshots showed a pop-up notification indicating “Skipping ads…,” leading to speculation about whether this treatment is exclusive to users who utilize ad blockers. This was a point of inquiry for author Aamir Siddiqui from Android Authority when reaching out to YouTube for clarification. While the company refrained from admitting any specific punitive actions against ad blocker users, their reply suggested a wider narrative lurking beneath.

Google’s response stated, “…the use of ad blockers violates YouTube’s Terms of Service.” They went further to announce a campaign encouraging viewers with ad blockers to either disable them or subscribe to YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.

As per YouTube’s official guidelines, unskippable advertisements are typically capped at 15 seconds (or up to 60 seconds on YouTube TV). Thus, if the reports from users are accurate, something is amiss, particularly since one’s experience might involve hour-long ads accompanied by an available skip option.

When YouTube was contacted for additional insight, their reply mirrored previous statements made to Android Authority, albeit denying the occurrence of excessively long, non-skippable ads. “YouTube does not serve minutes-long, non-skippable ads,” the representative stated. Moreover, they remarked that users employing ad blockers might face a “suboptimal viewing experience” due to potential interference with the platform’s playback features.

This response does not definitely attribute the complications to ad blockers nor does it acknowledge ongoing modifications to the service, though it does leave the door open for the potential of distorted viewing experiences based on user settings.

Interestingly, despite the denials, this aligns with YouTube’s recent tactics. The platform had previously begun injecting ads directly into videos to evade ad blockers, as well as implementing warnings to prohibit users with ad blockers from accessing content altogether. Furthermore, Google Chrome has initiated steps to restrict certain ad-blocking extensions through a controversial adjustment in the API utilized by extension developers.

To potentially alleviate the issue of encountering those lengthy unskippable ads, users may consider disabling their ad blockers. Subsequently, watching the video again in incognito mode can help ascertain whether the problem is linked to the user’s account, thereby providing clarity on the situation and guiding further actions.