this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2023
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Pretty much the subject line. uBO has successfully blocked the nag screen enough times that I can't play anything at this point. No preview loads, and the play button serves no function. I'd really prefer not to have to find content on YT, copy the URL and use Piped/Invidious, but this ongoing escalation is steeling my resolve to screw Google.

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[–] [email protected] 40 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I usually do this:

  • refresh uBo caches
  • delete all site data of youtube (in the shield thingy left of address bar)
  • close the browser

Mostly always worked

[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yep I've had to do this a couple of times. I'd rather go through this dance than watch a single ad.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

I'm to the point where I have a container tab for yt I delete and recreate.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

delete all site data of youtube (in the shield thingy left of address bar)

For me that step alone has always worked. No need to touch UBO or restart the browser. Just clear data and refresh.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 11 months ago (1 children)

-No issues on Firefox+ubo on desktop. -Revanced for mobile (android) -Snarttubenext for tv. Amazon fire TV and any android box.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 11 months ago (2 children)

So... They've been A/B testing this the whole time and will continue to do so. Do you think OP is lying or could it be that you're having the B variant until it flips for you too?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

OP didn't say if they use Firefox. If they're using Chrome, then I'd find this result rather unremarkable and unsurprising.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (6 children)

I'm on FF. Forgot that detail. Also forgot I can edit the title. Which I have done, so the message above this made sense at the time it was written (for anyone who came in late).

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago

Oof, well I don't like the sound of this at all. Looks like my days of using YouTube might be numbered.

If these sites keep enshittifying at this rapid pace, I may be forced to touch grass before my time is up

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 11 months ago

OP most likely is not following the instructions laid out at the uBlock subreddit. Probably a conflict with another adblocker.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Youtube is not ahead as of now, you can check on this website: https://drhyperion451.github.io/does-uBO-bypass-yt/ It also links to a guide.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago

And make sure to read the guide. I think they recommend setting the extension to defaults. As fiddling with the settings and enabling additional filter lists can cause this.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Been using Freetube, and I even get watch history on it without needing to enable a "use my watch history for advertising" setting. No issues so far, but I don't watch in higher resolutions so no idea if that would cause any issues.

Someone else already mentioned LibRedirect, I have that setup to link to Freetube.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

Freetube is so amazing, I'm never going back.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Revanced hasn't had any issues throughout this. I only watch YouTube on Android anyway.

(doesn't help for desktop use, but it's an option and maintains all of YouTubes native functionality + premium features)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

desktop use

May be time to explore Android emulators. I know some linux distros incorporate them, and there are some options for Win and Mac.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Or look into FreeTube, it works really well on desktop

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

True, it’s good to keep track of all options because any of them could stop working one day.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (5 children)

You could pay for the service with cash instead of ad views. Works on all devices without having to set up an adblocking VPN or Pi-Hole.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago (5 children)

I don't think you can be sure they're not profiling you for advertising on other sites just because they're not showing ads on YouTube. The purpose of uBO is security. Plus I wouldn't give money to a shady company like Google anyway.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

For everyone who feels righteous by paying YouTube for content, here are some things to consider:

  1. A part of your payment goes to Google - who is involved in unethical and often illegal subversion of privacy and user rights on the internet by corruption of the very foundations of the web.

  2. They're coming up with their 'content is not free' argument after they've killed off all their competitors. They're in a position to demand because they played a bait-and-switch and succeeded in it.

I'm not against paid services, and especially not against paying the content creators. But when you pay a crook for their services, you bear responsibility for their actions.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (10 children)

That’s what I do. Works great. Or don’t pay and don’t use it. Crazy talk, I know!

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 11 months ago

No problems yet with Firefox + uBO

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

https://libredirect.github.io/download.html works great for automating link redirects to alternative sites.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

This looks promising. Just the fact that it autopings the list of servers on demand solves much of my Invidious frustration.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

I'm using FreeTube and NewPipe to view now. Yewt.ube is working on iOS devices in Safari with 1Blocker. Firefox and uBO is my last option if I happen to click a link that opens automatically.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

If you don't mind the impossibility to login, check out Freetube.

For Android, you may use NewPipe, LibreTube or Youtube Vanced.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

I've had on and off problems with YT. On days where uBO is behind, I right click and open in private window. It's a shitty workaround, but it works.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I've noticed that the nag screen never shows up in a private tab. In the last week I've gotten in the habit of right-clicking a video and choosing Open Link in New Private Window. It's not very convenient, but it has been working.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't that because all extensions are disabled unless you explicitly turn them on for private windows? uBO is off so you obviously won't see the nag screen.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I just checked and I do have uBO enabled for private windows, so I'm not sure why it isn't getting caught. I started doing it because I noticed that YouTube was giving one "free" view per day, and then your second view would get the nag screen. So I figured the private window might make you show up as a new person each time, so you always get the initial nag-free video.

But it seems like the nag screen shows up even on the first view now, so I'm not sure why this private tab trick is still working.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Then I guess it's just down to cookies? Private doesn't transfer cookies from the main session. You start with a clean slate all the time.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No problems with YouTube Premium.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Its just not that you want to pay a company that sold your data and stuffed ads down your throat. Like, at all. Will they still track you using Premium? I am totally certain.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago

Google doesn't sell user data. They sell advertising space and use that data for targeted advertising.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I've bought genuinely useful stuff from targeted ads. I'm the problem.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

This ad blocking tug-of-war game is absolutely fascinating in so many ways. One cannot help but be entertained by the two sets of opposing engineers fighting each other for technological dominance

I love it

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Use Brave Browser instead. I haven't had any issues at all watching YT using Brave.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 11 months ago (3 children)

There are a multitude of reasons to recommend against using Brave.

Personally I refuse to install it because the CEO and creator, Brendan Eich, unapologetically donates to right wing and anti-gay establishments. Many people refuse to use it because it games the users and advertisers with a proprietary cryptocurrency that isn't actually useful for anything except making money for Brave. Others refuse to use it because in 2020 Brave was caught adding their own affiliate codes and tracking data to websites in the url bar, even ones that were typed in by hand. That was eventually rolled back but it didn't help me trust them any.

Vivaldi is a better browser option, in my opinion.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Freetube pointing to a local instance of Invidious.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Never yet had problems with paid AdGuard

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Same! I'm really hoping it stays that way. This seems wildly annoying to combat. I've been fine so far with adguard premium on Windows, iOS, and Android tho.

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