You Vs Google ads

- Published on 21st October, 2023 -

Hey there!
If you’ve been remotely on the internet recently, you’ve noticed that YouTube started cracking down on content blockers that happen to block ads.

Worry not, I come bearing solutions for this problem (solutions which were already widespread as soon as the restriction was put in place, but honestly, this is my blog, what you’re gonna do hahahahaah, you can’t stop me).

Solution 1: use an alternative front-end or app

This might be the most radical solution, but the best one: switch to an alternative front-end.
Most, if not all, alternative front-ends for YouTube directly remove ads, trackers and some of them even support the likes of SponsorBlock.

Here are some recommendations (the software with a ⭐ are my personal recommendations).

On the web

• ⭐ Piped - An alternative front-end based on the NewPipe Extractor, implementing SponsorBlock and can bypass most geo-restrictions
• Invidious - An alternative front-end that removes ads, trackers and that doesn’t requires JavaScript (if you’re that type of person)

On your phone

Android

• ⭐ NewPipe - The most well-known YouTube client for Android, being extremely light and even allowing to download videos!
• LibreTube - Modern-looking YouTube client relying on the Piped API to playback videos

iOS

• ⭐ Yattee - Piped/Invidious client for iOS, also has SponsorBlock support

On your PC

• FreeTube - A desktop YouTube client available on Linux, Windows and MacOS
• ⭐⭐⭐ yt-dlp - A must-have on any system, a command-line utility allowing you to download videos and audio from not only YouTube, but also from a wide variety of websites and platforms

Solution 2: but I still want to use the official YouTube front-end

For this, just follow those simple steps:

1. Make sure you have uBlock Origin installed on your browser (it will even improve your overall experience with the web in general)
2. Disable all add-ons that might also block ads on YouTube, only keep uBlock origin
3. If you have any, disable all your custom filters for YouTube
4. Open the uBlock origin options and:
5. Go in “Filter lists”
6. Click on “Purge all caches”
7. Click on “Update now”

As a bonus, remember that uBlock origin works best on Firefox.

I will not recommend any apps of the likes of (Re)Vanced as it still relies on an official YouTube app which is completely closed-source (although the patches are open).
All it takes for Google to take down those patched versions, as shown in the past, is a small cease-and-desist, while completely open-source projects have absolutely no real grounds to be taken down (the RIAA tried, they failed).

As some closing words, remember that ads are a really predatory ecosystem that prey on your attention only to track you to sell you stuff you probably don’t need.
Having a content blocker is good for privacy but is also a good way of de-cluttering the web and making it somewhat bearable to navigate (it also improves security a lot for older users that might fall for scams and viruses being spread through ads).
So do you have a friend, coworker or family member that still has millions of ads on their screen? Do them a favour and show them how to install uBlock origin on their browser.

This website will never have ads, if it ever does, block it as it won’t be controlled by me then.

I’ll see you next time!

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