4 ms·

I’m the opposite. I’ve almost entirely given up on YouTube because I know that, even if I pay, I’m subjected to the consequences of ads. Content creators have

I’m the opposite. I’ve almost entirely given up on YouTube because I know that, even if I pay, I’m subjected to the consequences of ads. Content creators have paid sections in the video itself, the format optimises grabbing your attention, some legitimate-presenting channels are just real state for product placement... You can’t win in that platform.

jbaber 11mo ago
A recent feature for paid subscribers is the ability to skip frequently skipped sections which de facto skips in-video ads.
- codybontecou 11mo ago
  I see the button to skip, but is there a way to automatically skip these sections?
  - RandallBrown 11mo ago
    Not yet, that I know of
  - mhitza 11mo ago
    SponsorBlock for desktop browsers is a way around that
    - tcfhgj 11mo ago
      ReVanced has an integration for SponsorBlock, and SponsorBlock is also available for Firefox Android
    - MarsIronPI 11mo ago
      I forget how bad YouTube is these days. I'm so spoiled by MPV with yt-dlp and mpv_sponsorblock_minimal. It's great.
      - LargoLasskhyfv 11mo ago
        Bad is relative. I usually don't bother with the MPV/yt-dlp combo (except for rare local downloading for backup/convenience purposes) and just let it play in the browser. Not being logged in, because I have no google account anymore. It's smooth, and plays instantly when opened in a new tab. I let it have its cookies, and don't erase them, so I get the content I like, mostly. For things I'm unsure how they'd affect the algorithm, or if they are AI-slopped music, I'm just opening them in a private window. Works for me with just uBO and some additional list subscriptons in there.
  - t0bia_s 11mo ago
    https://freetubeapp.io/ https://freetubeapp.io/
ericzawo 11mo ago
If you have a VPN, pretend you're in Moldova to enjoy ad-free, free YouTube.
- mmooss 11mo ago
  Why do Moldovans get add-free Youtube?
  - nickff 11mo ago
    Advertisers generally avoid spending money on displaying ads to poor countries. It is interesting to see how the ads change depending on the country your IP address is from.
    - mmooss 11mo ago
      I expect that Molovan businesses want to advertise there.
      - nickff 11mo ago
        Very little YouTube advertising is for local businesses, partly due to geotargeting issues with YouTube ads, and YouTube isn’t a huge market for most products, due to its poverty.
  - lmm 11mo ago
    Perhaps because of their interesting geopolitical situation with Transnistria?
satvikpendem 11mo ago
SponsorBlock and DeArrow are your friends
- liquidise 11mo ago
  SponsorBlock became an instant, install-everywhere extension for me the same way UBO had. I'm amazed how few know of it considering its value and elegance.
bjackman 11mo ago
You can't completely escape advertising while still participating in modern society but there's still a huge difference between free and premium YouTube in this regard. Yes, creators have paid sections but they are skippable (and note YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1]) and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. They have an ongoing "relationship" with their viewer. Not so for the random companies that get to spam you with unskippable adverts for crypto scams or fat-free yoghurt in the freezer version. [1]They don't like sponsored segments as they don't get a cut most of the time. They do have a programme for arranging sponsored segments via the platform, in which case they _do_ get a cut. I'm not sure if they still offer the little skip-helper dot in that case... Anyone know?
- tgsovlerkhgsel 11mo ago
  > YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1]) Is that a premium feature? How does it look? I don't remember ever seeing it (that said, SponsorBlock solves this). > and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest.
  - IAmBroom 11mo ago
    > > and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. > I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest. "Credibility" means "relative to the interests of their audience". Faux News has a completely different, almost inverse metric for "credibility" with their "Aliuns made the pirramids!" fanbase. CNN follows a more strict "if it bleeds it leads" policy to keep their audience believing them.
- RobotToaster 11mo ago
  > creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. This comment is sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends
- Mawr 11mo ago
  There's a huge difference indeed — uBlock + SponsorBlock are superior. Not only do I not see any ads at all—including self-promotions of the video creators and their sponsorship segments—I also get to skip content-free intermissions, tangents, etc. and jump straight to the highlight of the video.
moi2388 11mo ago
SponsorBlock. I don’t see in video ads, not self ads and no sponsoring.
ffuxlpff 11mo ago
Giving up YouTube and any other video content online would be the best life hack you can make in 2026.

jbaber 11mo ago

A recent feature for paid subscribers is the ability to skip frequently skipped sections which de facto skips in-video ads.

codybontecou 11mo ago
I see the button to skip, but is there a way to automatically skip these sections?
- RandallBrown 11mo ago
  Not yet, that I know of
- mhitza 11mo ago
  SponsorBlock for desktop browsers is a way around that
  - tcfhgj 11mo ago
    ReVanced has an integration for SponsorBlock, and SponsorBlock is also available for Firefox Android
  - MarsIronPI 11mo ago
    I forget how bad YouTube is these days. I'm so spoiled by MPV with yt-dlp and mpv_sponsorblock_minimal. It's great.
    - LargoLasskhyfv 11mo ago
      Bad is relative. I usually don't bother with the MPV/yt-dlp combo (except for rare local downloading for backup/convenience purposes) and just let it play in the browser. Not being logged in, because I have no google account anymore. It's smooth, and plays instantly when opened in a new tab. I let it have its cookies, and don't erase them, so I get the content I like, mostly. For things I'm unsure how they'd affect the algorithm, or if they are AI-slopped music, I'm just opening them in a private window. Works for me with just uBO and some additional list subscriptons in there.
- t0bia_s 11mo ago
  https://freetubeapp.io/ https://freetubeapp.io/

ericzawo 11mo ago

If you have a VPN, pretend you're in Moldova to enjoy ad-free, free YouTube.

mmooss 11mo ago
Why do Moldovans get add-free Youtube?
- nickff 11mo ago
  Advertisers generally avoid spending money on displaying ads to poor countries. It is interesting to see how the ads change depending on the country your IP address is from.
  - mmooss 11mo ago
    I expect that Molovan businesses want to advertise there.
    - nickff 11mo ago
      Very little YouTube advertising is for local businesses, partly due to geotargeting issues with YouTube ads, and YouTube isn’t a huge market for most products, due to its poverty.
- lmm 11mo ago
  Perhaps because of their interesting geopolitical situation with Transnistria?

satvikpendem 11mo ago

SponsorBlock and DeArrow are your friends

liquidise 11mo ago
SponsorBlock became an instant, install-everywhere extension for me the same way UBO had. I'm amazed how few know of it considering its value and elegance.

bjackman 11mo ago

You can't completely escape advertising while still participating in modern society but there's still a huge difference between free and premium YouTube in this regard. Yes, creators have paid sections but they are skippable (and note YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1]) and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. They have an ongoing "relationship" with their viewer. Not so for the random companies that get to spam you with unskippable adverts for crypto scams or fat-free yoghurt in the freezer version. [1]They don't like sponsored segments as they don't get a cut most of the time. They do have a programme for arranging sponsored segments via the platform, in which case they _do_ get a cut. I'm not sure if they still offer the little skip-helper dot in that case... Anyone know?

tgsovlerkhgsel 11mo ago
> YouTube helps you skip with a little white dot in the UI[1]) Is that a premium feature? How does it look? I don't remember ever seeing it (that said, SponsorBlock solves this). > and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest.
- IAmBroom 11mo ago
  > > and creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. > I haven't seen this play out very much to be honest. "Credibility" means "relative to the interests of their audience". Faux News has a completely different, almost inverse metric for "credibility" with their "Aliuns made the pirramids!" fanbase. CNN follows a more strict "if it bleeds it leads" policy to keep their audience believing them.
RobotToaster 11mo ago
> creators have a strong incentive to protect their credibility. This comment is sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends
Mawr 11mo ago
There's a huge difference indeed — uBlock + SponsorBlock are superior. Not only do I not see any ads at all—including self-promotions of the video creators and their sponsorship segments—I also get to skip content-free intermissions, tangents, etc. and jump straight to the highlight of the video.

moi2388 11mo ago

SponsorBlock. I don’t see in video ads, not self ads and no sponsoring.

ffuxlpff 11mo ago

Giving up YouTube and any other video content online would be the best life hack you can make in 2026.