Google launches 'secret weapon' to fight ad blockers

According to TechSpot , the battle between YouTube and ad blocker developers is still getting fiercer, as Google seems to be about to launch its boldest crackdown yet. Specifically, a new policy included in the upcoming Manifest V3 extension platform could block ad blockers, at least on Chrome.

To discourage users from using ad blockers on YouTube, Google started by pausing videos and displaying a prompt to turn off ad blocking. The company then intentionally slowed down video loading if it detected a blocker.

The company's moves have paid off, with ad blocker developers reporting a surge in uninstalls. Now, Google is taking the fight directly to Chrome extension designers.

Google's Manifest V2 extension platform allows developers to update their extensions very quickly. However, when Manifest V3 goes live in June 2024, there will be new restrictions that could make this update process much slower.

As a result, future extension updates will have to go through a full review process before being approved and sent to users. Ad blockers rely on rapid updates to counter changes to YouTube’s ad delivery system. The new review process will slow down the rollout of updates, giving YouTube time to adjust its algorithms, making ad blocking efforts less effective.

Developers of Chrome ad blocking extensions, such as Ghostery and uBlock Origin, are struggling because Google frequently changes how it serves ads on YouTube. These frequent changes require developers to adjust their ad filters on a daily basis, making it challenging to maintain ad blocking performance for extensions.

And the new review policy for Manifest V3 means that these filters may take longer to update. Google may be intentionally slowing down the review process for extensions, allowing YouTube to get ahead of them.

While Mozilla has pledged not to require Manifest V3 on Firefox, Google believes more users will opt to display ads or pay a monthly fee for YouTube Premium in the future.