Remember the YouTube meltdown where videos kept skipping to the end for ad blocker users? Conspiracy theories flew faster than likes on a cat video, accusing YouTube of targeting ad blockers. Well, YouTube claims innocence, but the plot twist might leave you reaching for your tinfoil hat (or maybe your credit card).

It all started with frustrated viewers, especially those with ad blockers, whose videos were inexplicably jumping to the finish line. The internet buzzed with accusations. Was YouTube, owned by ad giant Google, punishing ad blocker rebels? YouTube scrambled to control the narrative, releasing a statement to 9to5 Google blaming a recent performance update gone awry. They reiterated their stance on ad blockers violating their Terms of Service and, not-so-subtly, encouraged viewers to support creators through ads (or that tempting YouTube Premium subscription).

While YouTube’s explanation seems reasonable, a healthy dose of scepticism lingers. The glitch’s timing, coinciding with rising ad blocker use, feels a bit too convenient. And tech companies have a not-so-stellar track record of using similar tactics to discourage ad blockers. So, is YouTube being entirely truthful?

The YouTube skipping saga highlights the constant struggle between user experience and ad revenue. Ad blockers undeniably impact a platform’s income, but resorting to underhanded tactics to force ad views is a risky PR gamble.