In recent weeks, Google has been tightening the screws to counter the use of ad blockers on its platform. However, users looking for a credible alternative to traditional ad blockers could find their salvation in a new Chrome extension.
A few weeks ago, Google officially declared war on the use of ad blockers on YouTube. The Mountain View-based company has embarked on an international crusade to force users of its platform to allow ads in the videos they watch.
To achieve this, the company has decided to display a full-screen alert message that leaves freeloaders with few options: either they accept ads on YouTube, or they subscribe to YouTube Premium to get rid of them. In any case, those who do not comply with the platform’s wishes will be deprived of video.
YouTube’s use of this strong method seems to be (more or less) bearing fruit. YouTube’s new anti-adblocking policy has apparently led to a wave of uninstalls, according to some developers. But for many, the maneuver was mainly made to install a new ad blocker, probably not yet targeted by the blocking put in place by YouTube.
However, in the game of cat and mouse, users (and extension developers) are often one step ahead. As proof, Ad Speedup, an open-source Chrome extension, brilliantly bypasses YouTube’s new arsenal.
Ads that are almost invisible, but not blocked
Unlike traditional ad blockers, Ad Speedup doesn’t really block ads. Instead, the extension tricks YouTube into thinking you’ve watched them. It is responsible for speeding up the playback of ads, with a reading speed sixteen times faster than normal. Thanks to this, ads are barely noticeable when you watch a YouTube video. Especially since the extension also takes care of muting them and playing them when possible.
In addition, Ad Speedup is surprisingly simple. All you have to do is install it in your browser for it to be activated automatically. No other configuration is required to make it work. The plugin can be used in conjunction with a classic ad blocker.
The extension is downloadable from the Chrome Web Store and can be installed on Google Chrome obviously, but also on all Chromium-based web browsers. You can also use it on Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, or Opera.
