After months of testing a way to discourage people from using ad blockers, YouTube is rolling out a stern warning to those using ad blockers to watch videos without ads and without paying for YouTube Premium.

We can confirm that the ad blocker warning is being rolled out in the Philippines, as we received this notification stating that “ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube”. As of writing this story, you can opt to disable your ad blocker and use YouTube with ads, or just subscribe to YouTube Premium which costs Php 159 a month.

The warning we received is not as aggressive as the one YouTube was previously testing. The experimental version of the warning involves blocking your video player after 3 strikes (aka being caught using an ad blocker for watching 3 videos) unless you disable your ad blocker on your web browser.

Right now, it’s not clear how the video streaming will be strict in ensuring no one uses ad blockers in order to avoid paying for YouTube Premium. In addition, it’s also unclear how apps like Vanced and Brave will be affected by this new policy that’s rolling out in several countries including the Philippines.

Our honest take on this is to just go get a YouTube Premium subscription, as it is one of the best streaming services you can subscribe to in the Philippines. For Php 159 a month, you get BOTH ad-free viewing of YouTube videos and full access to YouTube Music. Under YouTube Premium, you can enjoy features like background playback, offline music and video downloads, and an ad-free experience.