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DuckDuckGo Browser Can Now Block Video Ads, Including YouTube's

DuckDuckGo Browser Can Now Block Video Ads, Including YouTube's

Tech webbrowserprivacy Engadget
DuckDuckGo has updated its browser to block YouTube video ads by leveraging community-maintained filter lists from uBlock Origin.
What: The DuckDuckGo browser, available on macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android, now blocks video ads by default using open-source filter lists similar to those used by the uBlock Origin extension. DuckDuckGo warns users that the blocking mechanism may introduce increased video buffering times or minor playback issues.
Why it matters: This is a direct competitive play against Google Chrome, which has recently intensified efforts to restrict ad-blocking extensions through the Manifest V3 framework.
Takeaway: If you wish to view YouTube without ads, you must use the DuckDuckGo browser app; browser extensions installed in other browsers may no longer function reliably due to ongoing platform changes.
Decoder
  • Manifest V3: A set of rules introduced by Google for Chrome extensions that restricts the way ad-blockers can interact with browser network requests.
Original article

DuckDuckGo Browser can now block video ads, including YouTube's

An unsubtle shot at Chrome.

DuckDuckGo announced that it can now block most video ads, particularly those on YouTube, when a video is playing in its browser.

In a blog post about the new feature, the company explained that its YouTube ad detection and blocking is based on the open-source community filter lists from uBlockOrigin. DuckDuckGo noted that it may also apply its own rules for better compatibility, but viewers may see longer buffering times when using the blocker and there may still be some unexpected hiccups.

The blocking feature will be on by default for most DuckDuckGo users on iPhone, Windows and Mac. It will be automatically enabled soon on Android but can be manually activated in the browser settings menu in the meantime. All platforms can also have YouTube ad blocking turned on or off from the settings menu. And just to state the obvious, remember you'll actually have to be watching the video in the DuckDuckGo browser rather than the YouTube app in order to take advantage of the blocker.

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