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Comment by phoghed | Hacker News Reader

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phoghed

Avoiding ads via time and effort is a young person’s game. Old head like me just pays. YouTube Premium master race.

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It's easier to install ublock origin and sponsorblock than to subscribe, and it's free.

How do I install ublock origin and sponsorblock on the youtube app?

That's easy. Remove the youtube app, open firefox and type in www.youtube.com

5 people in my family each with multiple devices. To get them all to use FireFox which isn't even actual FireFox on iPhone/iPad, ditch the native apps, install specific extensions, figure out how to get it onto their TVs, how to get YouTube music to work in CarPlay with an ad blocker, probably other things I'm not thinking of... would be much more effort than paying.

I don't have the time and energy for that.

You use firefox and search for "firefox extension ublock"

How do I get that on my Apple TV? How do I get that on YouTube music on CarPlay?

On android, you can patch a youtube apk to remove ads, enable backround playback, and also add sponsorblock.

Youtube premium also works on my phone, Chromecast, and importantly, all of my wife's devices, all without needing to fuss with anything. It also supports the creators who put work into my entertainment, and more than watching ads even would have (something I care about, and think other people should as well).

It's not easier for everyone. It's a tradeoff, like anything.

If you are one person with one or two devices that you use YouTube on, and you're willing to make certain sacrifices, then yes I agree.

If you have a family of a few people, all with multiple devices that they might want to use YouTube on, that also use YouTube Music, then I don't personally think it's easier. I'd rather part with $30/mo and have back the time I'd spend dealing with the nonsense resulting from trying to do the ad block or alternative app route

Youtube premium doesn't skip sponsor segments. SponsorBlock and uBlock are free and highly effective, and do a better job than paying.

Not automatically but it offers a button for you to push to skip. And that feature isn’t just sponsor segments, but parts that many people skip, so sometimes you can jump over boring or irrelevant stuff, preambles, whatever.

Also, some sponsored segments are good. For example, imagine I had skipped the legendary Thursday Boots ad read on Cumtown.

Installing an ad blocker takes fewer clicks than subscribing to YouTube.

And less mental effort as well, since the subscription forces to stay in guard for enshittification (are there now ads in my tier? Did the price go up?).

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