Video Ad-Block for Twitch Extension Banned in Chrome and Firefox
Video ads are perhaps the most annoying thing on the internet. This is one of the many reasons why one should use an ad blocker, but what happens when a plugin that is supposed to protect you goes rogue? Sadly, that’s what happened with the Video Ad-Block for Twitch extension.
The plugin, which was available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, had more than 600,000 users. The GitHub page because the Video Ad-Block for Twitch extension has vanished, which was the first bad sign. Here is a web page archive of the original repository.
What followed was worse, the plugin had been updated and requested new permissions. More specifically, the extension wanted to “Read and change your data on all Amazon sites.” Some users spotted that product listings on Amazon.UK ended with an “aradb-21” reference tag, which the browser plugin started injecting. The extension developer could earn a commission when someone buys a product after clicking on the affiliate URLs.
It’s not just that, the plugin is actually redirecting requests made to Amazon.UK, without the user knowing. Both of these violate some policies and are considered malware. So it’s no wonder that Google and Mozilla have banned the extension from their extension repositories. If you are using the Video Ad-Block for Twitch extension, you should uninstall it immediately. For those who are interested in the technical side of things, here is the code that was used to redirect users.
A few months ago, Raymond Gorhill, the creator of uBlock Origin, had praised such plugins because dedicated ad-blocking extensions on a single site update faster and offer better support than regular ad-blockers. Ironically, his comment was written in a discussion related to the then unlocked plugin. Who could have predicted the downfall of such a popular extension? But don’t worry about it, there are a couple of alternative methods that are readily available.
What should you use to block ads on Twitch?
Another developer has forked a clean version of the plugin and provides it under the name, Twitch Adblock. It’s free, open source, and has a cheeky description that pokes fun at the bad practices of the original extension. The extension is available for Firefox and Chrome. It has been recommended by a member of the uBlock Origin team, as a suitable alternative to the Video Ad-Block for Twitch extension.
uBlock Origin does a lot of things well, but has issues with ads on Twitch, because Amazon keeps updating its systems to combat ad blockers. Why? Because Twitch offers an ad-free experience as part of its Twitch Turbo plan, which costs $8.99/month, and that’s easy money for the company. That said, there is a way to get the Twitch Ad Blocker plugin by editing the filters and changing some settings.
How to configure uBlock Origin to block ads on Twitch
1. Click on the uBlock Origin button and open the panel.
2. Switch to the My Filters tab.
3. Paste the following line into it.
twitch.tv##+js(twitch video ad)
4. Apply the Changes.
5. Go to the main uBlock Origin Settings page and check the box next to “I am an advanced user”.
6. Click the gear icon next to it. Set the value of userResourcesLocation to https://github.com/pixeltris/TwitchAdSolutions/raw/master/notify-strip/notify-strip-ublock-origin.js
7. Click the Apply Changes button to save the settings.
Note: You can also use the notification and sharing version that is available through the link below, if the video freezes.
8. Restart the browser and try to watch the Twitch videos showing ads. Ads should no longer show on videos.
credit: pixeltris
It is not clear why the Video Ad-Block for Twitch extension went wrong. Rumors suggest that the developer sold it to a third party and that they made the plugin change from an open source project to a closed model. This isn’t the first time an extension has exhausted its users, and it probably won’t be the last.
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