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YouTube TV could lose Fox channels this week
Gaming Gear

YouTube TV could lose Fox channels this week

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With the start of the NFL season looming, it’s also a window where many TV contracts are up for renewal, and on Monday evening, YouTube TV and Fox sent out alerts indicating that their contract could come to an end as soon as August 27th, at 5PM ET. Google-owned YouTube TV says that “Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive,” while Fox claims that “Google is attempting to use its market power to pressure FOX to agree to unfavorable and one-sided terms, prioritizing their own interests over a fair agreement for its customer.”

Channels at risk include Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports, and the Big Ten Network. But in areas where Fox also owns the local broadcast network, a disruption could also cost viewers access to a chunk of NFL games, which is why the contract is up for renewal now. Awful Announcing points out that the first big game on the slate is a college football matchup, Texas vs. Ohio State on Saturday, before week one of NFL games starts the following weekend.

Other than navigating the shrinking reach and influence of traditional cable TV, another complication for a new deal could be Fox’s just-launched Fox One direct-to-consumer streaming package, which currently includes access for pay TV subscribers at no additional charge to them over their existing bill. It’s unclear how that might affect the negotiations, or outbursts from Trump and other politicians if Fox News is unavailable to YouTube TV’s subscribers, which analyst MoffettNathanson recently estimated at 9.4 million.

YouTube TV’s announcement says that if they can’t reach a deal, then Fox One is an option for consumers, and that it will credit members $10 “…if Fox content becomes unavailable for an extended period of time.”



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Twitch Ban Nutty
Esports

YouTube ups minimum age requirement for livestreams

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YouTube has announced it’s raising the minimum age requirement for users to broadcast their own livestreams. Where previously, anyone over the age of 13 could stream freely, 16 is now the new target.

Up until now, YouTube users aged 13 or older were allowed to stream live content on the platform without restrictions. This age is identical to the minimum requirement found across other streaming-oriented platforms like Twitch and Kick.

Now, however, the Google-owned platform is raising its minimum age requirement. Coming into effect on July 22, users will need to be 16 years old in order to live stream on YouTube.

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Thus, anyone younger will need to be accompanied on-stream by an adult. Failure to abide by this change will result in a number of consequences, ranging from live chat restrictions to outright losing the ability to stream.

YouTubeBudding YouTube streamers need to ensure they meet the new minimum age requirement.

YouTube’s new livestream age restriction explained

Put simply, from July 22 on, users need to be over the age of 16 in order to safely click the ‘Go live’ button on YouTube. If you meet that requirement, you’re able to stream freely without any consequences.

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Previously, that age requirement was set to 13 years or older. Google hasn’t provided an explanation as to why it’s now upping the minimum age by three years.

Given many younger content creators engage with the feature, particularly minor gaming or toy-focused channels, the change does impose some new restrictions.

For any users under the age of 16 who still wish to livestream, they must be visibly accompanied by an adult. So an adult can’t just start the stream and then head over to another room; they must ‘visibly’ be on camera the entire time.

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Ignoring these rules obviously comes with implications. Google has outlined how accounts can have access to live chat and “other features” restricted. Furthermore, “in the future, we plan to take down these livestreams, and the account may temporarily lose its ability to livestream.”

How does YouTube’s new livestream age restriction compare to other platforms?

With YouTube upping the minimum age for streaming on the platform, it now sits apart from competitors in the space. Snapchat, Instagram, Twitch, and Kick all have their minimum streaming age set to 13 years old. However, some come with a few caveats.

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With regards to Twitch, for users between the age of 13 and the “age of legal majority in your jurisdiction of residence, you may only use the Twitch Services under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian,” as the platform’s terms of service outline.

Unsplash.com: appshunter.ioYouTube now stands apart from the likes of Twitch with regard to its minimum age requirement.

Meanwhile, Kick follows suit with similar verbiage in its guide for parents and educators. “Kick is a live-streaming platform for users ages 13 and older. Users who are 13 (16 in Europe) or older but under the age of majority where they reside (18 in most jurisdictions) may only use Kick with the involvement of a parent or guardian who agrees to Kick’s Terms of Service.

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“Children under 13 may not use Kick. We are strict in upholding these age restrictions.”

Only time will tell if other platforms follow suit and raise their minimum age requirement or if YouTube will continue as an outlier.



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Excited for Death Stranding 2? Beware of the wave of spoilers flooding YouTube and social media
Game Reviews

Excited for Death Stranding 2? Beware of the wave of spoilers flooding YouTube and social media

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Spoilers for Death Stranding 2 are flooding social media and YouTube, posted by those who bought the digital deluxe edition of the game.

This digital deluxe edition, which provides a 48-hour early access window to those who buy it, released on the 24th June. For owners of the regular version, the game becomes available tomorrow on the 26th June.

Those who have been able to play early have been keen to share their experiences online, but given how narratively rich Death Stranding 2 is (and the whole catalogue of Kojima’s works), this has led to a deluge of early game story moments and equipment popping up on the internet.

Why not check out our video review of Death Stranding 2. No spoilers!Watch on YouTube

Death Stranding 2, a game which takes between 35-50 hours to beat, is a chunky experience, especially for completionists. However, given the fact deluxe edition owners will obviously continue to play and post their screenshots and videos online as they proceed into the game’s later moments, it’s best to stay away from such platforms if you’re looking to go in fresh.

It’s been a rough few days for the spoiler-averse. Earlier this week, the opening hour of the game leaked online, giving away all the twists and turns the game throws at you in the game’s opening scenes.

One could argue plenty of story moments have already been revealed ahead of launch, due to a release trailer for the game which featured plenty of cinematics from throughout the game’s runtime. Still, it’s nice to go in without knowing the surprises that await you. Except for some of the spoiler-free technical stuff maybe, like the fact Death Stranding 2 benefits from super fast load times. Cool!

If you want a spoiler-free impression of what the game is like, why not read Eurogamer’s Death Stranding 2 review! In it, the game is described as: “A busier, louder, and more emotionally resplendent take on this singular hiking sim.” No spoilers necessary!



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MrBeast with several YouTubers behind him
Esports

Asmongold defends MrBeast amid “forced” hate over AI YouTube thumbnails

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Twitch star Asmongold is stepping up to defend MrBeast after the most-subscribed YouTuber came under fire for his AI video tools.

On June 20, Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson set the internet into a frenzy after he unveiled new tools to help YouTubers create thumbnails for their videos with his Viewstats service.

The backlash came quickly, with popular creator JackSepticEye accusing Donaldson of “ruining YouTube” and many others, such as Pointcrow, putting MrBeast on blast.

Although MrBeast deleted the AI thumbnail post and promised that changes were in the works, Asmongold doesn’t believe the tsunami of backlash against the YouTube star was actually warranted.

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Asmongold says MrBeast anti-AI hate is “forced”

During a June 2025 broadcast, Asmongold checked out the negative responses MrBeast was receiving and explained why he felt it was all manufactured outrage.

“This is, in my opinion, I think the anti-AI hate is the most forced f**king thing on the internet,” he said. “It’s the most forced thing on the internet, and all it is is a bunch of creators and artists who are trying to get their audience riled up against AI.”

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Asmongold thinks the hate on AI is “forced” after MrBeast got cooked on the timeline for promoting an AI thumbnail website

“All it is, is a bunch of creators and artists..who get their audience riled up..because they don’t wanna be replaced” pic.twitter.com/5gssnq5bft

— yeet (@Awk20000) June 22, 2025

According to Asmongold, these individuals are worried about being replaced by artificial intelligence, and that’s why they’ve reacted the way they have.

“It’s so annoying. It really is!” the Kick and Twitch streamer exclaimed.

For his part, MrBeast remains committed to helping creators, but has adjusted his approach, indicating that he’d rather create a tool that provides inspiration to artists and not take their place.

“My goal with Viewstats is to build tools to level the playing field between people like me with 300 employees and new creators that can’t afford a small army,” Donaldson said.

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The fears of AI extend beyond just content creation, however. Notably, Twitch legend Ninja believes that AI will make streaming “impossible” because of how easily users will be able to generate fake videos of streamers.





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Esports

MrBeast promises changes to AI YouTube tools after backlash from creators

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MrBeast created a system that allows for YouTubers to AI generate thumbnails that are algorithmically tuned to optimize engagement for their videos. JackSepticEye has spoken out against him, condemning the practice entirely, and other creators have followed suit.

While MrBeast has had his fair share of controversy in recent years, he has remained the biggest YouTuber in the world in terms of subscribers and average viewership per upload.

Now, he’s introduced a system that allows users to AI generate thumbnails for their YouTube videos in a way that makes their videos much more clickable.

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JackSepticEye has wholly rejected the idea, objecting to his inclusion in MrBeast’s video demo for the product and calling him out publicly for it.

JackSepticEye calls out MrBeast for creating YouTube AI tools

Instead of using image manipulation tools like Photoshop or hiring an editor, MrBeast is working with Viewstats to create a different option: AI thumbnail tools.

It allows users to pick a YouTube channel, use their video thumbnails as “inspiration”, and put in a prompt to get something similar but themed around their video. It even allows users to put their own face into a thumbnail to theme it around their channel.

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And, while Viewstats has a monthly fee of $80 USD attached to the service, that’s a lot cheaper than hiring a thumbnail artist for people who need clickable videos in order to turn YouTube into a career or make the platform more profitable.

JackSepticEye objected to his inclusion in the video and to the software’s existence as a whole, directly calling out MrBeast over it.

MrBeast using his AI tool to create an image based on his YouTube channel’s thumbnails

“What the actual f**k… and he used my logo in the promotion for it too. I hate what this platform is turning into. F**k AI,” he said.

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JackSepticEye has been critical of MrBeast in the past, believing that his approach to content creation is “ruining YouTube” and claiming that his approach takes the fun out of making videos.

This caused beef between the two creators, with Jimmy calling Jack’s words toward him “insanely disrespectful” at the time. Though they settled the beef after talking to each other privately, a feud between the two creators may be back on the table.

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Jack isn’t the only one, though, with YouTuber PointCrow calling him out directly. The two YouTubers had a conversation about it, leading to MrBeast deleting his tweet and promising changes to the AI tool.

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“I spend days, weeks, sometimes months thinking of thumbnails, working with artists to craft the perfect one — and you’ve made something that can steal my (and my artists) hard work without a thought. Your model is clearly trained on all our thumbnails and uses them without any creators permission, and makes it not only easy, but it attempts to make this socially acceptable too,” reads a small part of PointCrow’s critical Tweet about MrBeast’s tool.

A few hours later, he posted this:

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“Had a chat with MrBeast about his AI thumbnail creation tool. While I’m uncertain what will be happening moving forward, I’ve voiced my thoughts directly to him. Great idea to want to make content creation more accessible, but this isn’t remotely the solution to that and actually fundamentally hurts creators as a whole,” the YouTuber claims.

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“Just mentioning because I think it’s important to note that he reached out, even though we still largely disagree. Leaving everything up to discourage this still, and I’ll count this hopefully as my bookend to the saga,”

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MrBeast replied to that, outlining the changes he wants to make to the tool.

“Already working on changes like Faceswap should only be used to swap your face on YOUR thumbnail, obviously not others. And overall I’ll build this more in a way to be inspiration for artists/a tool they use and not replace them. Very good feedback.

“My goal with Viewstats is to build tools to level the playing field between people like me with 300 employees and new creators that can’t afford a small army,” MrBeast explained.

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Esports

YouTube is throttling videos and slowing down for viewers using adblockers

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YouTube is once again ramping up its war against adblockers by making its platform essentially unusable for viewers who don’t pay for Premium.

The world’s most popular video platform has been taking extreme measures to ensure that viewers are unable to bypass its ads.

Earlier in June, the Google-owned site banned multiple adblockers, and at the same time, confirmed that Premium Lite subscribers would be getting ads when they watch Shorts.

Although some users found adblock or browser combos to continue watching YouTube ad-free, the app has since fired back by slowing videos to a crawl for viewers with adblockers installed.

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YouTube punishes viewers for using adblockers

In posts across social media, users posted screenshots of YouTube throttling their videos and making the website unusable.

“They’re slowing down performance if you use an adblocker,” one wrote and shared an image of YouTube “experiencing interruptions.”

“Been using Brave to block YouTube ads and it’s technically working, but most videos will be black screen for the length of an ad or two with YouTube saying ‘experiencing interruptions’ on the bottom left corner, and one of the possible reasons being ad blockers from what it is saying,” another wrote on the Brave browser forums.

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According to Telegrafi, analysis has shown that YouTube is using the JavaScript setTimeout function and adding a five-second delay before content loads.

“This slowdown affects not only playback, but also other functionalities – commenting, uploading new videos, and basic site options,” they say.

Dexerto

Meanwhile, PCWorld reports that ad-block extension developers have found a way to get around some of YouTube’s slowdown tricks, with an AdGuard representative calling the situation “a classic cat-and-mouse game.”

In 2024, YouTube ads earned the company $36B and the site appears to be aiming to eclipse that total in 2025 with the Google-owned platform testing even longer unskippable ads and using AI to insert ads during moments where viewer engagement is at its highest.

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YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live vs. DirecTV and More
Gaming Gear

YouTube TV vs. Hulu Live vs. DirecTV and More

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Making the switch from cable to streaming could feel confusing or like a chore, but it might be exactly what you’re looking for. As TV costs increase, there are plenty of alternatives you can consider, such as live TV streaming services and affordable skinny bundles. Cord-free live services come with perks like a broad mix of channels, DVR and no long-term commitments. You can stream sports and more, and these services offer wider channel options than antennas but also let you watch on your laptop or phone.

Choosing a service can be tricky because of pricing and regional sports networks, but there are six main platforms to consider (we’re not including smaller ones): Sling TV, DirecTV, YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Fubo and Philo. 

It really boils down to the channels, right? We’ve looked at who carries the top 100 channels in their main lineups to help you decide which one could be the best for your household.

Read more: Best Sports Streaming Service for 2025

The Big Chart: Top 100 channels compared (updated June 2025)

The main difference between the services is their channel selection. All of them offer different lineups of channels for various prices. 

Below, you’ll find a chart that shows the top 100 channels across all six services. Note that not every service has a worthy 100. There are actually seven listed because Sling TV has two “base” tiers, Orange and Blue. And if you’re wondering, I chose which “top” channels made the cut. Sorry, AXS TV, Discovery Life, GSN and Universal HD.

DirecTV cut “Stream” from its name, but its streaming offerings remain. Its basic plan starts at $87 a month, while YouTube TV, Sling, Fubo and Hulu Plus Live TV’s plans all cost more now, affecting the value of these services based on their channel lineups. Don’t forget Fubo’s big loss of Warner Bros. Discovery channels such as Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Magnolia Network OWN and TLC, which may make it less appealing.

However, there are numerous live TV streaming choices available. Sling TV’s basic monthly packages are $46 in most cities and Philo offers a small roster but packages AMC Plus access with it. But costs continue to go up and those changes are reflected in the chart below where applicable. 

Some more stuff to know about the chart: 

  • Yes = The channel is available on the cheapest pricing tier. That price is listed next to the service’s name.
  • No = The channel isn’t available at all on that service. 
  • $ = The channel is available for an extra fee, either a la carte or as part of a more expensive package or add-on.
  • Regional sports networks — local channels devoted to showing regular-season games of particular pro baseball, basketball and hockey teams — are not listed. DirecTV Stream’s $130 tier has the most RSNs by far but a few are available on other services. You can also check out its MySports package for $70 and Xfinity’s sports and news offering.
  • Local ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, MyNetworkTV and The CW networks are not available in every city. Because the availability of these channels varies, you’ll want to check the service’s website to verify that it carries your local network.
  • Local PBS stations are only currently available on DirecTV Stream, Hulu Live and YouTube TV. Again, you’ll want to check local availability.
  • Sling Blue subscribers in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City must now pay $51 per month, but have access to local ABC, Fox and NBC channels. Customers in Houston, Fresno, California, and Raleigh, North Carolina, now have ABC and Fox on their Blue or Orange-and-Blue subscriptions at no extra charge. This is not reflected in the chart. Check Sling’s site to see which local channels are available in your area.
  • Fubo subscribers may find that the ACC Network and SEC Network are included with their package at no extra cost. Check availability for your state.
  • The chart columns are arranged in order of price, so if you can’t see everything you want, try scrolling right.
  • Overwhelmed? An easier-to-understand Google Spreadsheet is here.

Philo vs. Sling TV vs. Fubo vs. YouTube TV vs. DirecTV vs. Hulu: Top 100 channels compared

Channel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)Fubo ($85)DirecTV ($87)Total channels: 42243578754655ABC NoNoNoYesYesYesYesCBS NoNoNoYesYesYesYesFox NoNoYesYesYesYesYesNBC NoNoYesYesYesYesYesPBS NoNoNoYesYesNoYesCW NoNoNoYesYesYesYes (limited)MyNetworkTV NoNoNoYesYesNoYesChannel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)Fubo ($85)DirecTV ($87)A&E YesYesYesNoYesNo$ACC Network No$NoYesYesYes$Accuweather YesNoNoNoNoYesYesAMC YesYesYesYesNoNoYesAnimal Planet YesNoNoYesYesNoYesBBC America YesYesYesYesNoNoYesBBC World News Yes$$YesNoNo$BET YesYesYesYesYesYesYesBig Ten Network NoNo$YesYesYes$Bloomberg TV NoYesYesNoYesYesYesBoomerang No$$No$NoYesBravo NoNoYesYesYesYesYesChannel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)Fubo ($85)DirecTV ($87)Cartoon Network NoYesYesYesYesNoYesCBS Sports Network NoNoNoYesYesYes$Cheddar YesNoNoYesYesYesYesCinemax NoNoNo$$No$CMT Yes$$YesYesYesYesCNBC NoNo$YesYesYesYesCNN NoYesYesYesYesNoYesComedy Central YesYesYesYesYesYesYesCooking Channel Yes$$No$$$Destination America Yes$$No$$$Discovery Channel YesNoYesYesYesNoYesDisney Channel NoYesNoYesYesYesYesDisney Junior No$NoYesYesYesYesDisney XD No$NoYesYesYesYesE! NoNoYesYesYesYesYesESPN NoYesNoYesYesYesYesESPN 2 NoYesNoYesYesYesYesESPNEWS No$NoYesYes$$ESPNU No$NoYesYes$$Channel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)Fubo ($85)DirecTV ($87)Food Network YesYesYesYesYesNoYesFox Business NoNo$YesYesYesYesFox News NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFS1 NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFS2 NoNo$YesYesYes$Freeform NoYesNoYesYesYesYesFX NoNoYesYesYesYesYesFX Movies NoNo$YesYes$$FXX NoNo$YesYesYesYesFYI Yes$$NoYesNo$Golf Channel NoNo$YesYesYes$Hallmark Yes$$YesYesYesYesHBO/Max NoNoNo$$No$HGTV YesYesYesYesYesNoYesHistory YesYesYesNoYesNo$HLN No$YesYesYesNoYesIFC YesYesYesYesNoNoYesInvestigation Discovery YesYesYesYesYesNoYesLifetime YesYesYesNoYesNo$Lifetime Movie Network Yes$$NoYesNo$Channel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)FuboTV ($85)DirecTV ($87)Magnolia Network Yes$$YesYesNo$MGM+ $$$$NoNo$MLB Network No$$NoYes$$Motor Trend YesYesNoYesYesNoYesMSNBC NoNoYesYesYesYesYesMTV Yes$$YesYesYesYesMTV2 Yes$$Yes$$YesNational Geographic NoNoYesYesYesYesNoNat Geo Wild NoNo$YesYes$$NBA TV No$$YesNo$$NFL Network NoNoYesYesYesYes$NFL Red Zone NoNo$$$$NoNHL Network No$$NoNo$$Nickelodeon YesNoNoYesYesYesYesNick Jr. YesYesYesYesYesYes$Nicktoons Yes$$Yes$$$OWN YesNoNoYesYesNo$Oxygen NoNo$YesYesYes$Paramount Network Yes$$YesYesYesYesScience Yes$$No$$$Channel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)FuboTV ($85)DirecTV ($87)SEC Network No$NoYesYes$$Showtime No$$$$$$Smithsonian YesNoNoYesYesYes$Starz $$$$$$$Sundance TV Yes$$YesNoNoYesSyfy NoNoYesYesYesYesYesTastemade Yes$$YesNoYes$TBS NoYesYesYesYesNoYesTCM No$$YesYesNo$TeenNick Yes$$Yes$$YesTelemundo NoNoNoYesYesYes$Tennis Channel No$$NoNo$$TLC YesNoYesYesYesNoYesTNT NoYesYesYesYesNoYesTravel Channel YesYesYesYesYesNo$TruTV No$YesYesYesNo$TV Land Yes$$YesYesYesYesUSA Network NoNoYesYesYesYesYesVH1 Yes$$YesYesYesYesVice YesYesYesNoYesNo$WE tv Yes$$YesNoNoYesChannel Philo ($28)Sling Orange ($46)Sling Blue ($46)YouTube TV ($83)Hulu with Live TV ($83)FuboTV ($85)DirecTV ($87) James Martin/CNET

Hulu Plus Live TV, which includes access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, now costs $83 a month for its base package. Its channel selection isn’t as robust as YouTube TV, yet Hulu’s significant catalog of on-demand content sets it apart. Exclusive titles such as Shōgun, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building give it a content advantage no other service can match. 

Live TV subscribers also receive unlimited DVR that includes fast-forwarding and on-demand playback — at no additional cost. It’s a move that has aligned Hulu with its competitors in terms of features, but the channel lineup may still be a deciding factor. It’s the same price as YouTube TV, which has more channels, but the access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus may make it a more appealing choice for you. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.

James Martin/CNET

With an excellent channel selection, easy-to-use interface and best-in-class cloud DVR, the $83 per month YouTube TV is one of the best cable TV replacements. It offers a 4K upgrade add-on for an additional price, but the downside is there isn’t much to watch at present unless you watch select channels. If you don’t mind paying a bit more than the Sling TVs of the world, or want to watch live NBA games, YouTube TV offers a high standard of live TV streaming. Read our YouTube TV review.

Sarah Tew/CNET

If you want to save a little money and don’t mind missing out on local channels, Sling TV is the best of the budget services. Its Orange and Blue packages start at $46 per month, and you can combine them for a monthly rate of $61 ($66 in some regions). The Orange option nets you one stream, while Blue gives you three. It’s not as comprehensive or as easy to navigate as YouTube, but with a bit of work, including adding an antenna or an AirTV 2 DVR, it’s an unbeatable value. We’ll also add that the service offers local channels such as ABC and CBS in some regions where the monthly rate is $51. Read our Sling TV review.

Sarah Tew/CNET

DirecTV’s base streaming package costs more than all the other platforms on this list and its stiffest competition is still Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV. With its channel selection, it’s ideal for sports fans who want to watch local or national games. 

The service does have its pluses, though — for example, it includes the flipper-friendly ability to swipe left and right to change channels. Additionally, it includes some channels some other services can’t, including nearly 250 PBS stations nationwide. The $87 Entertainment with sports package may suit your needs with its 75-plus channels. But for cord-cutters who want to follow their local NBA or MLB team, DirecTV Stream’s $115 Choice package is a more robust live TV streaming pick because it has access to more regional sports networks than the competition. Nonetheless, you’ll want to make sure your channel is included here, and not available on one of our preferred picks, before you pony up. Read our DirecTV streaming service review.

Ty Pendlebury/CNET

There’s a lot to like about Fubo — it offers a wide selection of channels and its sports focus makes it especially attractive to soccer fans or NBA, NHL and MLB fans who live in an area served by one of Fubo’s RSNs. It’s also a great choice for NFL fans because it’s one of three services, alongside YouTube TV and Hulu, that offer NFL Network and optional RedZone. As of February 2025, Fubo is charging more for its service and access to Bally Sports RSNs. The biggest hole in Fubo’s lineup is the lack of Warner Bros. Discovery networks, including Cartoon Network, CNN, Food Network, HGTV, TBS and TNT — especially as the latter two carry a lot of sports content, in particular MLB, NBA and NHL. Those missing channels, and the $85 price tag for the base plan, make it less attractive than YouTube TV for most viewers. Read our Fubo review.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Philo raised its price from $25 to $28 for new subscribers and added an AMC Plus bundle, and it’s still a cheap live TV streaming service with a variety of channels. But it lacks sports channels, local stations and big-name news networks — although BBC news and Cheddar are available. Philo offers bread-and-butter cable staples like Comedy Channel, Magnolia Network and Nickelodeon and specializes in lifestyle and reality programming. It’s also one of the cheapest live services that streams Paramount, home of Yellowstone, and it includes a cloud DVR and optional add-ons from Epix and Starz. We think most people are better off paying a few bucks more for Sling TV’s superior service, but if Philo has every channel you want, it’s a decent deal. Read our Philo review.



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YouTube rolls out more unskippable ads that make viewers wait even longer to watch videos

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YouTube is testing a series of new unskippable ads that will appear far more often for viewers.

Google-owned YouTube has been upping its ad game for years now, introducing pause screen ads, shutting down adblockers and even using AI to show ads when viewers are most engaged.

Now, the video platform is once again finding another way to implement advertisements by beta testing 30-second non-skippable ads in regular campaigns.

In other words, YouTube is giving advertisers yet another method to show you commercials.

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YouTube tests new 30-second unskippable ad format

As reported by Search Engine Land, 30-second ads used to be reserved through YouTube Reservation deals, but now, Google Ads is allowing more advertisers to include 30-second ads in regular campaigns.

According to Swipe Insight, this ad format will allow advertisers to show video ads between 16–30 seconds exclusively on TV screens, which include Smart TVs and Chromecast devices.

Additionally, these 30-second unskippable ads are being rolled out alongside 6-second bumper ads and 15-second unskippable ads.

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YouTube

This test is already being well received with Anthony Higman, the CEO of ADSQUIRE, claiming that users will “probably” watch 30-second ads.

“…the 15 second non-skippable YouTube ad format is my all time favorite,” he said. “These can be targeted to keywords and audiences and the user must watch the ad to get to the content they want to watch.”

Search Engine Land also warns that viewers will need to get used to waiting longer to watch videos than they already do, or opt to bite the bullet and subscribe to Premium.

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However, if you watch a lot of Shorts, you may want to avoid Premium Lite, as YouTube recently announced that ads will begin appearing on that content, even for paying users.

That said, for those wanting to save money, the platform is working on a new Spotify-style subscription that will give two people access to Premium for a little bit less than purchasing two individual plans.

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YouTube now allows more harmful misinformation on its platform
Gaming Gear

YouTube now allows more harmful misinformation on its platform

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YouTube is following in the potentially dangerous steps of Meta and X (formerly Twitter) by relaxing its content moderation policies. New internal training materials viewed by The New York Times instruct moderators to leave videos live if up to half its content violates YouTube’s policies, an increase from a quarter of it. The platform introduced the new policy in mid-December, a month after President Trump was re-elected.

The new guidelines reflect what YouTube deems as “public interest.” These areas include discussing or debating elections, movements, race, gender, immigration and more. “Recognizing that the definition of ‘public interest’ is always evolving, we update our guidance for these exceptions to reflect the new types of discussion we see on the platform today,” Nicole Bell, a YouTube spokesperson, told The New York Times. “Our goal remains the same: to protect free expression on YouTube while mitigating egregious harm.”

The platform has reportedly removed 22 percent more videos due to hateful and abusive content than last year. It’s not clear how many videos were reported or would have been removed under the previous guidelines.

YouTube reportedly told moderators to now value keeping content up if it’s a debate between freedom of expression and risk. For example, they were shown a video called “RFK Jr. Delivers SLEDGEHAMMER Blows to Gene-Altering JABS” which falsely stated that Covid vaccines can change people’s genes. However, YouTube told the moderators that public interest “outweighs the harm risk” and the video should stay up. It has since been removed, though the reason why is unclear.

Other videos allowed to remain online included one with a slur aimed at a transgender person and one in which a commentator discussed a graphic demise for former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Engadget has reached out to YouTube for comment.



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YouTube creators give up paychecks to train AI, and it’s reshaping everything from chatbots to coding tools

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  • YouTube’s opt-in AI training is turning creators into silent architects of future tech tools
  • Many creators say yes to AI training access, even when there’s no money involved
  • Oxylabs gathered millions of videos into a dataset that AI developers can ethically trust

An increasing number of YouTubers are allowing AI companies to train models using their videos, and surprisingly, many are doing so without direct compensation.

Under YouTube’s current setup, creators are given the option to opt in by ticking boxes that grant permission to around 18 major AI developers.

If no box is selected, YouTube does not permit the use of that video for AI training purposes. This means the default stance is non-participation, and any inclusion is fully voluntary.


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Creators choose influence over income

The lack of payment may seem unusual, and the motivation appears to hinge on influence rather than income.

Creators opting in might see it as a strategic move to shape how generative AI tools interpret and present information – by contributing their content, they are effectively making it more visible in AI-generated responses.

As a result, their work could shape how questions are answered by everything from AI writers to large language models (LLM) for coding.

Oxylabs has now launched the first consent-based YouTube dataset, comprising four million videos from one million distinct channels.

All contributors explicitly agreed to the use of their content for AI training, and according to Oxylabs, these videos, complete with transcripts and metadata, have been carefully curated to be particularly useful for training AI in image and video generation tasks.

“In the ecosystem aiming to find a fair balance between respecting copyright and facilitating innovation, YouTube streamlining consent giving for AI training and providing creators with flexibility is an important step forward,” said Julius Černiauskas, CEO of Oxylabs.

This model not only simplifies the process for AI developers seeking ethically sourced data but also reassures creators about the use of their work.

“Many channel owners have already opted in for their videos to be used in developing the next generation of AI tools. This enables us to create and provide high-quality, structured video datasets. Meanwhile, AI developers have no trouble verifying the data’s legitimate origin.”

However, broader concerns persist about how government organizations and legislatures handle similar issues.

For instance, the UK’s Data (Use and Access) Bill has stalled in Parliament, prompting figures like Elton John to criticize the government’s handling of creator rights.

In this legislative vacuum, creators and developers will likely face uncertainty.

Oxylabs presents itself as filling that gap with a consent-based model, but critics will still question whether such initiatives genuinely address deeper issues of value and fairness.

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