youtube.com #267

GRadziejewski · 2023-02-28T14:52:03Z

This issue is intended to collect information about YouTube ads that Ghostery fails to block. Since it is often hard to reproduce, feel free to comment with any observation that you think might help us. Since YouTube is a moving target, this ticket is intended to stay open.

Since Ghostery uses community block lists, it is also worth checking the discussion ticket that uBlock Origin maintains. It is possible that you see the same problem discussed there, since Ghostery also the block lists from the uBlock Origin project. If so, please let us know. If the same problem can be reproduced on both extension, the solution may be to improve the shared rules in the community lists.

Thanks for your help!

Description:
Ads are visible.

Steps to Reproduce:

Open https://www.youtube.com/

Expected Results:

Versions:

philipp-classen · 2023-05-25T14:03:21Z

Open Safari related issue: #304

philipp-classen · 2023-05-31T16:37:11Z

In the last days, we had multiple issues with YouTube ad blocking. We released an update to the block lists now that should fix them.

philipp-classen · 2023-06-01T21:41:15Z

We identified another issue (not in the block lists as before, but we'll include the fix in the next extension release).

Some scriptlets like `set-constant` or `json-prune` benefit from being injected ASAP. One very concrete example is YouTube adblocking which fails with any additional delays are introduced. fix ghostery/broken-page-reports#267

chrmod · 2023-06-02T11:50:29Z

This should be fixed by upcoming Ghostery 8.10.3

philipp-classen · 2023-08-10T11:33:50Z

Happens very rarely (I got it only twice over maybe two or three weeks), but I got ads on YouTube with Ghostery on Firefox on Android.

Both times, it happens on the first load (opening the browser and on the first visit to YouTube). After that, I did not see any ads.

I have no way to reproduce though.

philipp-classen · 2023-09-08T13:40:33Z

Update for YouTube ads on Android (Ghostery on Firefox): Recently, I got ads more often. Also, between videos, not only on the first visit.

GRadziejewski · 2023-09-08T13:55:48Z

I've just got an ad on the first video. After restart of the browser, I've open Ghostery Private Browser with Ghostery Browser Extension in version 8.11.1, open YouTube and select any video. Just like that there was an ad. After website reload I cannot see any other ads.

GRadziejewski · 2023-09-25T14:33:35Z

There are ads visible during opening or watching videos. I can reproduce the issue on Chrome and Edge, both on Windows 10.

For example Chrome:

philipp-classen · 2023-09-25T17:14:20Z

When testing with a Windows 10 VM, I could also reproduce on Edge and Chrome. But not on Firefox (on Windows).

Also, not on Linux (with either of these browsers). Update: Later, I also got it on Linux

GRadziejewski · 2023-09-26T09:11:09Z

The same problem occurs on Opera / Windows 10.

philipp-classen · 2023-09-26T12:18:09Z

An important update of the block lists has been released now. It should restore the ability to block ads (across various affected browsers).

mdsandu · 2023-09-29T14:48:26Z

user feedback via Zendesk - cannot reproduce though
"receiving youtube adblock notification"
Ghostery 8.11.1
Firefox browser 118.0.1 (64-bit)

philipp-classen · 2023-10-10T15:53:50Z

Looks like YouTube shows an anti-adblocker notice to some users now.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ghostery/comments/1747ahh/ghostery_hit_with_ad_blockers_violate_youtubes/

philipp-classen · 2023-10-18T12:40:07Z

YouTube is a moving target, but to sum up the current state:

You need to be signed in
You need to have either an adblocker installed or use a browser with builtin content blocking
After watching a few videos, you get the anti-adblocker notice

It has been reported to work if the video is opened in private mode instead (effectively, logging you out).

When disabling adblockers, note that Browser specific settings (e.g. "Enhanced Tracking Protection" on Firefox) must also be disabled. Opera, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi, and others are also known to cause breakage (depending on their settings). For more details, see https://www.reddit.com/r/uBlockOrigin/comments/178yasm/youtube_antiadblock_and_ads_october_16_2023/

If you were not affected so far: In some countries, Google rolled the changes out earlier than others. It started in the US, while Germany was only rolled out recently

Be aware that weakening builtin browser settings and disabling all content blocker extensions is a trade-off: it will likely fix the concrete problems on YouTube, but also removes privacy protections for all other sites that you visit. Depending on your individual use case, creating a separate browser profile could be an option for the moment.

mB-PiBox · 2023-10-24T17:52:54Z

Ghostery Continues to fail to block ads on Youtube.

I've never received the warning from Youtube to disable AdBlocker.
Instead the ad just plays without any video, but audio can be heard.

Gizmoblue1981 · 2023-10-29T12:26:17Z

@mB-PiBox im in uk ive disabled ghostry ext and installed u block origin. logged in atm and all seems ok, will give it a go. ta in adv.

Gizmoblue1981 · 2023-10-29T14:43:07Z

appears Ghostry browser is working again atm uk time 14:42

mB-PiBox · 2023-10-29T14:54:58Z

Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case for Ghostry in Safari - Still plays the Ads; just hides the video while audio is heard.

Never had the "disable ad blocker" issue on Youtube.. just not actually blocking the ad.

philipp-classen · 2023-10-30T19:50:27Z

Thanks for the feedback. We found some problems, which we will hope to solve in the next update. Some can be fixed by changes in the filter list (most likely tomorrow, but other parts may require extension releases. I'll leave a comment here when I have more information.

Regarding Safari: it always requires an extension release to update the block lists. That is why it takes a bit longer to react. From the reports, it still looks like the breakage from Friday. If the changes that we are currently working on go well, we can push a new version with updated lists and include the fixes to the adblocker engine. Again, once I know more, I'll share here.

philipp-classen · 2023-10-31T16:55:21Z

We released an update of the filter lists today. It fixes multiple issues around scriptlet injections, also on YouTube. Clients will automatically update (no releases are required).

For Safari: we can reproduce the problem, but are still working on a fix.

KrzesloSzatan · 2023-10-31T16:57:56Z

We released an update of the filter lists today. It fixes multiple issues around scriptlet injections, also on YouTube. Clients will automatically update (no releases are required).

For Safari: we can reproduce the problem, but are still working on a fix.

Seems to work on my side now. Thank you :)

philipp-classen · 2023-11-03T20:20:17Z

Today Safari release (10.2.3) shipped a fix of the adblocker and an update to the block lists.

mB-PiBox · 2023-11-04T05:18:12Z

Today Safari release (10.2.3) shipped a fix of the adblocker and an update to the block lists.

Is there something special that needs to be done to update the "block list?"

I reinstalled the extension; but's not blocking ads fully still. In fact it stopped working on Rumble.com ..

GRadziejewski · 2023-11-23T09:55:03Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased

User noticed when he/she has Ghostery installed, on normal account there is the YouTube block on videos, however when switching to another account, the ad blocker works.

Ghostery 8.12.4
Chrome 119

GRadziejewski · 2023-11-23T10:40:30Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased

To get without opening YT video in incognito, and to keep in mind that YT doesn't show blocked player on embedded videos, we can add an option to modify the video urls. With that we could open a new tab with the embedded video.
Example:
Before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfKfPfyJRdk
After: https://www.youtube.com/embed/jfKfPfyJRdk

yokoffing · 2023-12-18T14:23:09Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased:

I've seen the YouTube anti-adblock notice before. However, since yesterday, the anti-adblock notice persists when using Ghostery, preventing me from watching videos. Previously, refreshing the page allowed me to access videos despite the notice.

yokoffing · 2023-12-18T18:54:43Z

Update: User stated they had to re-sign to YT. No issues afterwards.

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased:
YouTube is stopping me from watching videos completely because of Ghostery. Using Ghostery in Private Windows doesn't help. Firefox doesn't remember my history and I still see sponsored ads.

Firefox 120.0.1
macOS 11.6.4

mdsandu · 2023-12-22T13:12:11Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased:

User reports on 22.12.23 that ad blockers are only disabled when signed in to Google Chrome.
To get around the user simply copies the URL, signs out of Google and then pastes the URL and all works
This means that there is no access to own history, but YouTube's algorithm still works, so one soon starts to see pretty much the same sort of stuff pop up as before.

Chrome
Windows 11

GRadziejewski · 2024-01-09T15:54:42Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased:

A temporary solution for the YouTube video pop-up interference involves accessing the Inspector and deleting the "tp-yt-paper-dialog" node when it appears. This action allows normal video playback.

Update:
to automate the above in user's custom extension for Mozilla, he moves mouse to remove the element when YT loads a video.
User tried tried to wait for the page to load, and load this particular element, but with no luck in deleting it.

GRadziejewski · 2024-01-29T13:42:59Z

Reproducible on Chrome.

When you open YT, the message "Your YouTube history is off" appears.

After clicking "Update setting", another website opens up [link].

If I turn off the history and then click "Reject All" it takes me to the main YT website with the same information. Never-Consent works well here and this consent is closed automatically.

In both cases, when Never-Consent is turned off and turned on, I see ads before the video.

Never-Consent turned off:

Never-Consent turned on:

GRadziejewski · 2024-01-30T12:19:05Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased

It was functional in private windows initially, but over time, Google restricted user from blocking ads through this method.

MacOS 14.1.2
Ghostery 8.12.5
Firefox 121.0.1

GRadziejewski · 2024-01-30T13:04:12Z

Feedback from a user via Zendesk, rephrased

The user saw a pop-up window stating that there was a limit of 3 films.

Location: Colorado, USA
Windows 10 Home 22H2
Firefox 121.0

GRadziejewski · 2024-01-30T17:42:31Z

We have had several reports of ads before the film in both normal and private mode. Reports are from Safari, Firefox and Chrome.

I could reproduce it on Safari and Opera.

StevenTory · 2024-01-31T09:31:54Z

In the last 24 hours, EVERY video I watch on YouTube, with Ghostery enabled as always, has been preceded by 1 or 2 short (5-10 secs) ads. Some can be bypassed, some not. They seem unrelated to the subject of the video or anything I have been doing on this computer. (Win10, Chrome) At this time, I am NOT getting any "Ad blockers not allowed..." messages.

chrmod · 2024-01-31T09:43:38Z

We can confirm the breakage. Working on a fix.

RayOei · 2024-03-19T14:08:04Z

Since the last two days ads are no longer blocked. I had a lot of YT's "You are not connected to the internet" errors the last week but now they do not appear anymore but ads do. I suspect YT found another way to bypass Ghostery... :-(
Refreshing the page sometimes helps.

chrmod · 2024-03-19T14:44:17Z

Hi @RayOei. Thank you for reporting.

Can you please share affected browser, browser version and extension version?

RayOei · 2024-03-20T09:16:52Z

@chrmod Oops.. sorry forgot to add it.
It is on FF 124.0 MacOS Sonoma 14.3.1 M2
Ghostery 8.12.7
What I noticed as well: video starts with an ad. When I refresh immediately the original video (re)starts without an ad. Although somewhere during it I may get an ad. But not consistently. Some videos don't serve ads (but I am not sure if that maybe controlled by the channel itself).

GRadziejewski · 2024-03-22T11:33:47Z

Report from our User:

Ads are visible when the video is playing.
Films are played at 2x speed.

Geoip: Texas, US.
MacOS 14.4
Firefox 124.0

chrmod · 2024-04-11T09:35:09Z

With the latest adblocker list update all youtube ads should be blocked again.

philipp-classen · 2024-05-27T19:30:19Z

Ads can be reproduced with the following steps:

Clear cookies
Go to a YouTube channel with a featured video. For example: https://www.youtube.com/@AnahataOfficial/featured

Affects all platforms that I tested (both Ghostery 8 and 10).

GRadziejewski self-assigned this Feb 28, 2023

GRadziejewski pinned this issue Feb 28, 2023

chrmod mentioned this issue Jun 2, 2023

Improve timing of scriptlet injection ghostery/adblocker#3286

Merged

chrmod closed this as completed in ghostery/adblocker#3286 Jun 2, 2023

philipp-classen reopened this Jun 2, 2023

chrmod mentioned this issue Jun 2, 2023

Fix Youtube adblocking ghostery/ghostery-extension#1177

Merged

chrmod closed this as completed in ghostery/ghostery-extension#1177 Jun 2, 2023

chrmod reopened this Jun 2, 2023

GRadziejewski removed their assignment Jul 12, 2023

philipp-classen closed this as completed in philipp-classen/adblocker@a539957 Aug 3, 2023

philipp-classen reopened this Aug 3, 2023

philipp-classen mentioned this issue Sep 26, 2023

youtube.com #304

Closed

philipp-classen mentioned this issue Oct 19, 2023

YouTube, and Twitch ad-block not working ghostery/ghostery-extension#1344

Closed

philipp-classen mentioned this issue Jan 8, 2024

https://www.youtube.com/ ghostery/trackerdb#199

Closed

chrmod added the type/ad-blocking The URL(s) has ads, or has any breakage due to ad-blocking label Jan 31, 2024

chrmod closed this as completed Apr 11, 2024

philipp-classen reopened this Apr 11, 2024

youtube.com #267

youtube.com #267

Comments

GRadziejewski commented Feb 28, 2023 • edited by philipp-classen Loading

philipp-classen commented May 25, 2023

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philipp-classen commented Oct 30, 2023

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philipp-classen commented May 27, 2024

GRadziejewski commented Feb 28, 2023 •

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