Firefox+uBlock Origin on the computer.

ReVanced on my Android phone.

SmartTubeNext on my Android TV.

I haven't seen a YouTube ad in years.

It very much is and is talked about basically nonstop everytime the topic comes up from any content creator that's been in the game for longer then a decade.

The ad based system the internet is built on is unraveling.

I've recently been getting warning notices on Firefox that "AdBlockers are not allowed on YouTube!" I laugh and continue on.

Even quicker fix: logout.

Admittedly i'm not a huge youtube watcher, but since logging out there's not a single damned nag when i run a marathon

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I keep noticing people in this thread recommending UBlock Origin, with others replying that they eventually got a popup to turn off their adblocker.

This is usually followed by replies mentioning they just click X (or add a UBlock filter on the popup), and go on with watching Youtube. No problem, right?

According to Ublock Origin's Redd*t Post, that is just the first warning stage; eventually the presentation of their anti-adblock message becomes more intrusive until you receive the "The in-player message. Playback is stopped."

I should know. I get that message on any Youtube video (while logged in), and it doesn't go away for several hours.

That said, my workaround (extremely hacky) was to find the RSS feeds for all of my channel subscriptions, and then add them to FreshRSS.
That section of my RSS feed essentially acts like a Youtube subscription page, but not tied to an actual account.

On my computer: I watch them in a private browser Firefox profile I've dedicated solely to Youtube (and has all of the extensions already installed, of course).

On Android: I watch them using NewPipe.

Edit: In addition, I store my "watch later" links using Linkding, which was easy to setup. While I do see reply suggestions on how to get rid of the popup, I think it's better (for the long term) to have an independent way to consume Youtube. While Youtube currently implements a 4 stage system, they could always add another stage or make the current one more strict.

I think my approach requires more set up work (and probably introduces more friction) compared to reply suggestions, but overall is more resistant to future updates to Youtube's nagging system.

Yes, sure, I just don't want to watch ads. There is really too much of them

All the people saying "I'll just stop using it, no big loss," are you only using YouTube for fun? Have you never needed to pass a class, prep for a job, work on a house, learn a skill using it?

It is such a large repository of human knowledge that is so far not widely replicated anywhere else. I rely on it for learning skills to provide for my family, as far as learning other useful abilities.

For example, YouTube taught me how to service my own vehicles. I have a specific set of old 90s Volvo cars, and there is a youtuber (Robert DIY) who does an excellent job documenting how to do maintenance on them. I have done my best to archive everything he posts, but he is just an example, as there are countless other informative tutorials and how-tos posted on YouTube.

As of now, Google has their grips on an enormous amount of practically useful data, and they know it. It's beyond fucked, and to act like it is inconsequential or ignorable is very short sighted.

Why bother to pay if you're just going to get ads anyway

No time like the present to begin creating a European alternative, given the geopolitics of the times.

I would actually pay for YT premium if it was reasonably priced and I think there are many like me. Why are they shooting themselves in the foot?

Yeah, rumble seems like the only viable alternative and they got lambasted for hosting so much right wing conspiracy nuts when it first launched lol

i actually never got that from youtube, im using ubo, and other adblockers too.