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.

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[–] jsdz@lemmy.ml 86 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I've just noticed that this is in c/piracy. I suppose there's lots of interest in the story here and everywhere else, but I'd just like to remind you all that ad-blocking is not piracy.

[–] zaknenou@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 2 years ago

c/piracy is just c/useful, the only community on lemmy where you are actually getting something useful.

[–] moralesformiles@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 years ago

People interested in piracy are also interested in ad blocking. Seems relevant to me.

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[–] yote_zip@pawb.social 74 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Emphasis on #4 here - the anti-adblock will trigger if it detects any subpar adblocker, including e.g. Brave Browser's "Shields" thing (even if you also use uBlock Origin). Helped a friend figure this out lately and found out they were running 3 adblockers and Brave Browser. Some people are truly special.

[–] Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 2 years ago

Definitely, and note that (for me anyway) I didn't have to disable any of my other extensions. I think they are referring mainly to adblocking extensions in that step.

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[–] nicetriangle@kbin.social 68 points 2 years ago (9 children)

So annoyed at how all these services keep degrading for users. I was happy to pay for premium light. I don't need download/music/etc I just wanted no ads. Simple as that. The price was fairly reasonable and I would have kept paying it. Now they got rid of the premium light and I have to pay at least 50% more for additional things I don't and will not use.

Alright then, well you lost a customer and I'll just use AdBlock. And if you somehow figure out how to disable that, I'm just going to find content somewhere else. I'm fucking sick of ads. I'll pay a reasonable amount to remove them. But I will not be continually wrung out for more and more money. Just leave me alone.

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[–] khorovodoved@lemm.ee 65 points 2 years ago (7 children)

Alternative solution: Since YouTube disabled all ads in Russia, you can just use russian vpn/proxy for the most effective YouTube adblocking possible.

[–] Golther@infosec.pub 46 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Wow! What a great idea! What could be better than routing all your traffic through a Russian VPN provider and probably bypassing sanctions? What could possibly go wrong?

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[–] Administrator@lemm.ee 31 points 2 years ago

Thanks for a solution that nobody will ever use

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[–] trustnoone@lemmy.sdf.org 56 points 2 years ago

Lol That's awesome, less of a workaround and more of a "we fixed it already, but whatever you're using probably hasn't caught up yet".

[–] sculd 55 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Thank god we have people working tirelessly to prevent Google’s greed

[–] Critical_Insight@feddit.uk 16 points 2 years ago (5 children)

While I'm thankful for the team at uBlock Origin, I still wouldn't call it greedy that a company that provides a quite excellent free video streaming platform, would also like to make a little profit from it too or at the very least to cover the expenses.

[–] Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de 26 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (7 children)

They already do make more than "a little profit" from YouTube. The shareholders demand infinite growth tho, so Google has to nickle and dime their users for even more profit. The bane of any publicly traded company.

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[–] anothermember 25 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's not the advertising that's the problem, it's the tracking and surveillance that comes with it. Until they get rid of that, uBlock Origin is a necessary security measure.

[–] Critical_Insight@feddit.uk 13 points 2 years ago (4 children)

To me it is the advertising that is the problem. Without ads, there's no need for collecting user data either. Even if it's non-targeted ads, that would still make the advertisers the customer, not the people watching those videos. This incentivizes them to optimize the platform to please the advertisers, not the users, resulting in a worse service.

I understand why many people feel like the option to have non-targeted ads instead of monthly fee seems tempting, but in my opinion this doesn't solve the root of the problem, which is the ads-based bussines model. It's what makes everything go to shit.

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[–] bonegolem@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Original YouTube, before Google, was one of many Video streaming websites -- living alongside competitors such as Dailymotion, Vimeo... And Google video. Those guys, yes, would've deserved this sort of compassion.

Google's YouTube is an evil entity that bruteforced itself into a de facto monopoly, routinely changes the rules for content creators that have built the platform and often depend on it for their living, allows a predatory system of copyright trolls to thrive at the expense of the creators, frequently allows creators to be robbed of their channel and income by arbitrary strikes while being completely deaf to requests for help, leverages Google's power to crush potential competitors, influence public opinion, stifle free speech... I could go on. Sympathy for such an entity, quite frankly, for me, is a form of Stockholm syndrome.

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[–] Collective@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 2 years ago (6 children)

the nature of the web is that you are sent information and a suggestion of how to render it. The user is free to view as little or as much of that content as they decide.

"ad blockers arent allowed on youtube" is an insane statement. ad blockers arent on youtube. you are just being selective about which content you render.

it is greedy to try and rewrite the fundamental workings of the web because you feel entitled to profit.

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[–] yournamehere@lemm.ee 41 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I just replace youtube.com with piped.video all the time

Nobody should ever share data with american corpos - there is no example where corporations harvested data and anyone but the shareholders benefited. So for me it feels like a win whenever they fail.

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[–] exocortex@discuss.tchncs.de 34 points 2 years ago (8 children)

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?

[–] oxjox@lemmy.ml 16 points 2 years ago (7 children)

That's called nebula.tv

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[–] A_Asselin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I started using freetube for linux a month or so ago. This is so much better than native youtube. The entire interface is smoother, I get less "loading" moments (none really) and it does not try and constantly reduce my resolution by "auto adjusting". No ads, no BS. Just better all around.

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[–] JustCopyingOthers@lemmy.ml 27 points 2 years ago (5 children)

I wonder what made youTube decide to fix this loophole? These days the vast majority of people use phone apps or smart TVs to watch. The number of people using Firefox plus ad blockers must be quite small and it'll be a constant effort to keep updating their anti ad block algorithms.

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[–] lobodon@lemmy.zip 27 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Decided to start using Freetube on desktop, Newpipe on mobile. It works!

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[–] onichama@feddit.de 22 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (6 children)

Thank you for the comprehensible instructions!
Unfortunately, it doesn't work with Edge (yet?).

Ayo who tf uses Edge?

Me, sadly, as it is the only browser installed on my work pc. We can't install any other programs (working with highly sensitive data).

EDIT: It works now :D

[–] urfavlaura@lemmy.ml 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

working with highly sensitive data uses windows

that sounds like it's going to blow up at some point

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[–] rbn@feddit.ch 17 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If you can run EXE filles on your work PC and you just don't have administrator rights to install software, you should be able to download a portable version of your favorite browser.

I used portable Firefox, Chrome, Notepad++, Eclipse, Sysinternals stuff and many more without problems that way.

Disclaimer: Althought this probably works technically, it might still violate some company policy.

[–] theshatterstone54@feddit.uk 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Can confirm. I did that at college. Yes, it technically violated the policy, but even though my lecturers and everyone else knew, nobody batted an eye. When OP is working with sensitive data, however, things coupd be different.

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[–] EarthShipTechIntern@lemm.ee 18 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I watch on duckduckgo video search results (no ads, fully private) or yt-dlp if I want to watch it again later.

Good to have the ad-block instructions for using the actual YouTube site.

Also thanks other commenters for recommendations of freetube and futo, reminders of pipe. Will try em out soon!

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[–] net00@lemm.ee 17 points 2 years ago (6 children)

All I need from youtube are my handful of subscriptions and my watch later, so I have moved on to invidious. I'd recommend it

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[–] bonegolem@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

So far, I've seen nothing on Firefox -- but I am getting some minor hiccups on ReVanced which seem to be consistent with the influence of the AdBlock detection. Stuff like playback stopping after 3 videos until I unpause it, probably coming from the pop-up appearing.

Thank the good god for the incredible folks maintaining uBlock origin.

Edit: and ReVanced, and SmartTube, and Newpipe, and everything... But especially uBlock origin. That thing is a security necessity.

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[–] blake@monero.town 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

invidious.io is unstoppable. unshackle yourself from the g**gle gulag

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[–] 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub 16 points 2 years ago (2 children)

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[–] danielquinn@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (4 children)

I was thinking of experimenting with a Firefox extension that upon hitting a YouTube page, it just launches yt-dlp [url] && mpv [downloaded file]. Is there any interest here in that sort of thing?

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[–] SnailMagnitude@mander.xyz 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I've been using the 'Open With' extension on Firefox to play video through mpv with a click

[–] Lem453@lemmy.ca 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

There should be a plugin that replaces the actual YouTube video with an embedded mpc or VLC player that streams the video like this on the website itself

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[–] Eudaimonia@lemmy.ml 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

For me in Europe with Linux its thankfully still working with uBlock

I always try to use alternatives, but at least on desktop, it unfortunatelly often doesnt work right (freetube, piped)

But theres of also youtube-dl, hope at least this stays an option!

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[–] andycarolan@social.lol 15 points 2 years ago (6 children)

@Flatworm7591 Many people will refuse to pay the high price of YouTube Premium or suffer through multiple pre and midroll adverts. It could lead to many abandoning the platform entirely.

I think the way forward is self or federated hosting. The time of YouTube may finally be coming to a close. @neil

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[–] RickyRigatoni@lemmy.ml 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Disable all other extensions AND your browser’s built-in blockers. <== No need to uninstall, just disable them. They might interfere with our solutions.

Is this just privacy-adjacent extensions, like privacybadger and disconnect, youtube-altering like sponsorblock and clickbait remover, all extensions, or some combination of the possibilities? All extensions seems a little extreme.

edit: May have answered my own question. Skipped step 4 and restarted my browser and no popup after loading a couple videos.

Edit The Second [Sadness Remix]: Got the popup again :( Guess it's on a timer for how often it comes up. I'll disable my youtube addons and report back. Already removed all privacy addons that aren't uBlock at recommendation of others.

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[–] rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Why remove all the filters and not just update?

[–] Flatworm7591@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I think because people may have added additional filters manually that might trigger the ad block detection, but that's just a guess. The guide was written by the uBlock Origin developers so I assume they have a reason for that step. But you can try without that step, it might well still work, especially in stock configuration.

[–] rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Thx. Yeah I figured that's the only reasonable explanation. They probably want easy instructions so it works for every messed up configuration without them getting lot's of support requests. But I like being taught what I do and why. Not just: click on this, click on that and it'll work somehow.

[–] miracleorange 12 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Alternative workaround: just use Piped or Invidious.

[–] parlaptie@feddit.de 20 points 2 years ago

Don't act like YouTube won't crack down on those as well. YouTube getting more aggressive about ads is bad for everyone.

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