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Idea

An app that mutes and darkens the screen during advertisements within videos

Image credit: Grindrailz / Reddit

Darko Savic

Darko Savic Oct 29, 2021

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An ad-blocker app that mutes and darkens the screen during video ads. The ad is replaced by a time-to-resume counter or custom content like random quotes, beautiful screensavers, etc. The app is for phones and smart TVs.
Why?
Advertisers shouldn't get to occupy your thoughts/memory without your consent.
While being focused on what you were watching an abrupt shift to nonsense is annoying at best and a waste of brainpower/memory at worst.
How it works
You install the video-ad-blocker app on your phone and/or smart TV. The app runs in the background. 
Youtube can't see whether you have the app installed so that they don't develop countermeasures.
When an advertisement comes up during a Youtube video (or a TV show), the screen is darkened and the sound is muted for the duration of the advertisement block.
There is a counter displayed on the screen, counting down the remaining seconds until the ad block is over and what you were watching resumes. If the time-to-resume is not known, there is just a rotating icon and a message "the video will resume after ads.
You can opt to have random quotes displayed to keep you entertained while you wait.
On TV the ad blocks are longer in duration. It would make sense to have an alarm/beep notification to alert you when the ads are over.
An opportunity to regain your freedom
Optionally, the ad blocking app could suggest during ads that you try to break free from the underlying video altogether. Maybe you didn't indend to watch it in the first place. Maybe it's not that interesting. There is your chance to leave and do something better with your time.

spam mobile application advertising

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General comments

Spook Louw

Spook Louw3 years ago

The ideal would be to just have an app that completely blocks ads. I understand that YouTube might be able to detect this, but if Adblock software can work on pcs and laptops, I don't understand why they can't work on phones.   

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Povilas S

Povilas S3 years ago

Spook Louw Darko Savic Also, if adblockers completely removing the ads don't work on smartphones and TVs, is there a bigger chance that the proposed app would work there?

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Darko Savic

Darko Savic3 years ago

Povilas S the proposed app doesn't block the ad. It overlays and hides it for the duration the ad is running. There is no way of getting around it. They can put the video you are watching on hold, but they can't make you internalize the ad's message.

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jnikola

jnikola3 years ago

It would also be cool if the app plays the last 10 seconds of the video again, while the ad is playing. That way, you could better remember what the video was about and not lose the thread.

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Michaela D

Michaela D3 years ago

I would definitely download this app! And I would use it as an opportunity to do something useful: During the ads, I would show messages like: "Time for a glass of water!",  "30 seconds of jumping jacks/high stepping/push-ups!".

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