In a controversial move, Google has introduced a new extension to its Chrome browser that prevents AdBlock Plus users from skipping YouTube ads.
Adverts may be served to Google Chrome users visiting YouTube whether or not they use AdBlock Plus, the extension that stops ads popping up while browsing the web.
Google appears to have circumvented AdBlock on its Chrome browser when visiting YouTube, accidentally or otherwise, meaning users must sit through long advert video clips they cannot skip before their video begins to play.
Twitter users have voiced their anger about the latest move and some tweeted screenshots of long YouTube ad trailers.
You have never known terror until you experience the moment when you realize AdBlock no longer works on YouTube.
— Alex Schmidt (@paragon_al) September 7, 2015
When did Youtube ads start dodging adblock and why tf are they 50 seconds long?
— Morgan (@mograntaylor) September 6, 2015
A 3 min ad? Really? I have adblock also how is this even possible? pic.twitter.com/3BmqZAGzIr
— revVGC (@r4rev2) September 7, 2015
AdBlock and AdBlock Plus have angered website owners, who claim to have lost out on revenues because people do not see their adverts and so do not click on them.
However, the software has hundreds of thousands of users who do not want to be bombarded with adverts when they use the internet.
The move comes a week after Google rolled out its AdWords Flash-based ads update, meaning any adverts running the active code that are not eligible for auto HTML5 conversion will not display properly.
By contrast, Google rival Apple has recently allowed ad blocking software to run on its Safari Browser in mobiles in a move that would delight users and threaten advertisers and publisher alike.