Streaming Platform Implements Playback Delays to Challenge Ad Blockers

A major streaming platform has introduced a controversial update that slows down video playback for users employing ad blockers. Rather than simply displaying an ad, the platform now delays videos by showing a dark screen accompanied by a pop-up urging viewers to disable their ad blocker. A support page is linked within the message, offering the options to either allow the platform in the ad blocker's settings or subscribe to their ad-free service.

In the past, warnings or outright blocking of videos were the norm for circumventing ad restrictions. Now, viewers find that selecting a video simply leads to a prolonged pause, mirroring the usual duration of a standard advertisement. This approach appears specifically designed to target those accounts that have been identified as using ad blockers.

Reports from various communities, including users on popular discussion forums and those using privacy-focused browsers, indicate that this new method is affecting multiple operating systems and devices. It is evident that the detection mechanism has become more sophisticated, as even commonly used ad blocking tools are no longer able to bypass the delay. The enforcement is linked not only to browser extensions but extends to the user accounts themselves.

For those wishing to maintain uninterrupted, ad-free streaming, two choices remain:

• Adjust your ad blocker's settings to allow the service, or
• Subscribe to the ad-free service offered by the platform.

Without making one of these changes, users might experience these increasingly strict playback delays, which serve as an incentive to opt for the paid subscription. The response to this new practice continues to be mixed among the community, leaving viewers to decide whether to change their settings or accept the inconvenience.