> I have the same thing with YouTube. Even if I pay for premium I'll still need to mess around with the sponsorblock plugin to get a truly adfree experience.
I wouldn't say this is the same thing at all. The sponsors are something that the individual video creator chose to do, and which youtube doesn't really have power over. If you pay for premium and you don't get ads injected by youtube, then they are holding up their end of the bargain in a way which "ad-lite" deals aren't.
They do have power over it. They can force the creators to make sponsor-free versions for premium users. It can simply be part of their T & Cs just like they don't allow porn etc.
Don't forget the creators already get a lot more money for a premium view than an adsponsored one. And nothing for an adblocked view.
Besides, I deal with YouTube. Not the creators.
While I agree overall, for me it's not as clear cut with sponsors as I do genuinely find some sponsored content very interesting and informative.
A creator might not have the means to buy the equipment, so not being sponsored would mean not making that content, which would be a net loss in these cases in my view.
That said, sponsored segments for BetterHelp, NordVPN and similar can f right off.
> and which youtube doesn't really have power over.
I can’t be certain but I remember sponsorships and other monetization methods being against the rules from 2005 to around 2010. Everything had to be done through the official affiliate program (YouTube Partners, I think they called it), which required an application and a large number of views and subscribers. I don’t remember seeing sponsored segments regularly until well after 2013. Sponsorblock already crowdsources this information. It wouldn’t be a technical hurdle to require uploaders to demarcate sponsored segments.
Sponsorships (unless demarcated "includes paid promotion") and IRs are still against the rules today.
> Sponsorships (unless demarcated "includes paid promotion")
I believe this policy came about due to FTC legislation that came into effect some time in the late 2010s or early 2020s. There was definitely a period in the 2010s when YouTube allowed sponsorships without the need to disclose them, or at least wasn't enforcing any policies they had against it.
> IRs are still against the rules today.
What does IR stand for?
interaction reminder
Ahh but literally everone does that? Even ethical youtubers do it "Ring the bell, subscribe and like".