PCMag Article
DuckDuckGo's Browser to Block YouTube Ads by Default
https://www.pcmag.com/news/duckduckgos-browser-to-block-youtube-ads-by-default
Part of the content was translated by GPT-5.5 and edited.
DuckDuckGo's free browser has enhanced its ad-blocking feature to remove ads displayed on YouTube websites.
The company explained that the YouTube ad-blocking feature is "already enabled by default for most iPhone, Windows, and Mac users. It will soon be automatically activated on Android, but until then, users can turn it on manually in the browser settings."
https://x.com/DuckDuckGo/status/2074825932251054552
DuckDuckGo is following in the footsteps of Brave, a browser that blocks YouTube ads by default. DuckDuckGo's implementation utilizes filters from uBlock Origin, a free open-source ad-blocking extension.
Recently, Google discontinued support for related features in the Chrome browser, impacting uBlock Origin. Chrome users can now only use uBlock Origin Lite with reduced functionality.
DuckDuckGo explained that it has "complemented" its own rules to uBlock Origin's filter list to minimize potential issues in the video viewing experience. However, as a result, a black screen may appear for a few seconds before YouTube videos start playing. This is because Google introduced a new method last year that delays YouTube video playback by the amount of time it takes to view ads before playback, tightening its crackdown on ad-blocking technology.
[Rest of content omitted]
