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YouTube users have reported a new disruption that affects core viewing features when ad-blocking tools run in a browser.
Several posts shared over the past week describe missing comment sections and absent video descriptions across many videos, with access returning after users disable ad blockers.
Multiple users on Reddit said YouTube displayed the message “Comments are turned off” even on videos that typically allow discussion. Some users also said YouTube failed to load video descriptions. The reports often described the issue as account-wide, rather than limited to a single creator or channel.
Several posts claimed the restriction also appeared for some YouTube Premium subscribers who still ran ad-blocking tools. Users said they regained normal access after turning off the blocker, which suggested a link between detection and feature availability. At the time of writing, YouTube has not published a separate statement that confirms comment or description limits as an enforcement tool.
YouTube’s public guidance frames ad blocking as a terms issue and describes steps the platform may take. On its Help Center page titled “Allow ads on videos that you watch,”
YouTube states, "When you block YouTube ads, you violate YouTube’s Terms of Service.” The same page adds that YouTube may prompt users to allow ads or subscribe, and it notes, "If you continue to use ad blockers, we may block your video playback.”
YouTube also links enforcement to third-party tools that modify viewing in ways that conflict with its rules. In an April 2024 Help Center post about “Enforcement on Third-Party Apps,” YouTube said it would strengthen enforcement on apps that violate its Terms of Service, including ad-blocking apps.
That policy context aligns with earlier measures that restricted playback for some users until they disabled blockers.
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The reported change matters because comments and descriptions drive engagement, context, and discovery. Viewers use descriptions for links, timestamps, and creator notes. Creators also rely on comments to build community and measure audience response. When those areas disappear, users lose key information even if video playback continues.
For users who face the issue, the most direct workaround remains disabling the ad blocker for YouTube. YouTube also continues to position subscriptions as the official alternative to ads.
The YouTube Premium page lists an Individual plan at $13.99 per month in the United States, although prices vary by country.
YouTube has not confirmed whether it caused the missing features through enforcement, testing, or a bug. However, the pattern users described—features returning right after disabling blockers—has increased scrutiny of YouTube’s anti-ad-block systems. Further updates from YouTube would clarify whether the platform treats missing comments and descriptions as intentional restrictions or as side effects of detection changes.
