NO SIGNAL
TV LICENCE CONTENT BLOCKER
No Licence. No Problem.
A browser extension that knows the difference between what needs a TV Licence and what doesn't. It blocks live broadcasts from UK broadcasters on YouTube, locks out 50+ broadcaster websites, and intercepts embeds across the web — while leaving everything else untouched.
v2.2 · Chrome · Edge · FirefoxDisclaimer: No Signal is designed to help users who have chosen not to hold a UK TV Licence avoid inadvertently accessing content that could result in prosecution. While we make every effort to maintain comprehensive and accurate blocklists, the internet is constantly changing — new services launch, domains change, and broadcasters update their platforms. This software does not guarantee full compliance. The user remains solely responsible for ensuring they do not access content that requires a TV Licence. No Signal does not provide legal advice. If in doubt, consult tvlicensing.co.uk for the latest guidance.
Smart blocking. Not blanket blocking.
No Signal understands the difference between content that requires a TV Licence and content that doesn't. It targets the right things precisely — so you can keep using the internet normally while staying on the right side of the law.
Live Broadcasts Blocked
When BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, or any other UK broadcaster is streaming live on YouTube, No Signal detects it and kills the feed instantly. The video doesn't play. The audio doesn't play. You see a block screen explaining why.
Past Streams & Uploads Allowed
A BBC clip uploaded to YouTube isn't iPlayer — it's just a YouTube video. Past live streams that have ended are VODs, not live TV. No Signal knows the difference and leaves these alone. Only active broadcasts are blocked.
50+ Broadcaster Websites Blocked
Full-page block screen on BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All 4, My5, Sky, NOW, Freely, and more. These sites mix live and on-demand content, making accidental viewing easy. No Signal prevents access entirely.
Embeds & Links Caught Everywhere
Scans every website for YouTube embeds and links from broadcaster channels. Replaces embedded players with a warning card and intercepts link clicks before you navigate. Pre-checks links with a warning badge.
Fully Configurable
Toggle individual domains or entire broadcaster categories. Add your own custom blocked domains. Whitelist sites and YouTube channels you trust. Searchable settings with everything saved automatically.
Network-Level Export
Export your blocklist in 6 formats — hosts file, AdBlock, dnsmasq, Unbound, JSON, or import from any source. Block broadcaster domains on your entire home network via Pi-hole or your router.
What gets blocked — and what doesn't
No Signal follows the actual law, not guesswork. Here's exactly how it decides.
On YouTube
🚫 Blocked
Live broadcaster streams — when BBC News, Sky News, ITV, Channel 4, or any UK broadcaster is actively streaming live on YouTube, the feed is killed and replaced with a block screen.
This is live TV. Watching it requires a TV Licence under the Communications Act 2003.
✅ Allowed
Past live streams — a stream that was live but has now ended is a VOD. It's not live TV anymore, and YouTube is not iPlayer. No licence needed.
Uploaded clips — BBC, ITV, and other broadcasters upload clips, highlights, and trailers to YouTube. These are regular YouTube videos, not live broadcasts or iPlayer content.
Third-party creators — someone reacting to BBC content, reviewing a Sky show, or discussing TV news is never touched. No Signal only checks the channel, never video titles.
Non-broadcaster live streams — gaming streamers, tech creators, musicians, anyone going live who isn't a UK broadcaster is completely unaffected.
YouTube is not iPlayer. Only active live broadcasts from UK broadcasters require a licence.
Broadcaster Websites
| Category | Domains | Why it's blocked |
|---|---|---|
| BBC | bbc.co.uk, bbc.com, bbciplayer.com + 3 more | ALL iPlayer content requires a licence — live, catch-up, AND on-demand. Unique to BBC. |
| ITV | itv.com, itvx.com, stv.tv, utv.co.uk + 3 more | ITVX mixes live channels with on-demand. Includes STV and UTV. |
| Channel 4 | channel4.com, all4.com, e4.com, film4.com + 3 more | All 4 mixes live channels with on-demand content. |
| Channel 5 | channel5.com, my5.tv, 5star.co.uk | My5 mixes live channels with on-demand content. |
| Sky / NOW | sky.com, skynews.com, skysports.com, nowtv.com, now.com | TV Licensing explicitly names Sky and NOW. |
| GB News / Talk | gbnews.com, talk.tv, talktv.com + 2 more | UK broadcast channels. Live viewing requires a licence. |
| TNT / BT Sport | tntsports.co.uk, sport.bt.com | Live sport broadcasting. |
| UKTV | uktv.co.uk, uktvplay.co.uk | Dave, Yesterday, Drama, Quest — Freeview channels. |
| Freely | freely.co.uk, everyonetv.co.uk | Joint platform by BBC/ITV/C4/C5. Named by TV Licensing. |
| Freeview / Freesat | freeview.co.uk, freesat.co.uk | Live TV platforms named by TV Licensing. |
| Virgin / EE / Other | virginmedia.com, eetv.co.uk, pluto.tv, samsungtvplus.com | TV services named by TV Licensing. |
| S4C | s4c.cymru, s4c.co.uk | S4C live broadcasts require a licence. |
Not blocked (explicitly excluded)
Up and running in 30 seconds
No accounts, no API keys, no configuration required. Install the extension and it starts working immediately.
Download & install
Grab the zip for your browser, unzip it, and load it as an unpacked extension. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox all supported. Takes about 30 seconds.
Browse normally
No Signal runs silently. Live broadcaster streams on YouTube are killed on sight. Broadcaster websites show a full block page. Embeds on other sites are replaced with a warning. Everything else works exactly as before.
Customise if you want
Open Settings to toggle categories, add custom domains, whitelist specific channels, import/export blocklists for your router, or check for rule updates. Everything works out of the box — settings are optional.
Technical architecture
Three content scripts, one background service worker, and a full settings interface. No external dependencies, no API keys, no data collection.
content.js — YouTube
- Identifies broadcaster channels by ID (100+) and name pattern
- Detects active live streams vs. past streams and uploads
- Only blocks broadcaster channels that are currently live
- Kills video and audio completely — removes elements from DOM
- Click interception on blocked cards prevents navigation
- MutationObserver catches YouTube re-adding video elements
- Ad detection — YouTube ads are never scanned or blocked
- Allowlist check runs before any blocking decision
content-global.js — All sites
- Finds YouTube iframes via src/data-src attribute matching
- Extracts video IDs from 6 URL patterns
- Queries background for oEmbed channel check
- Click intercept (capture phase) for YouTube links
- Pre-checks and badges blocked links with ⛔
- Allowlist-aware — skips whitelisted domains entirely
content-domains.js — Block pages
- Runs at document_start on 50+ broadcaster domains
- Uses document.write() to completely replace the page
- Settings-aware: checks disabled domains/categories
- Allowlist-aware: whitelisted domains are never blocked
- Shows legal citation, fine warning, go-back actions
- Reports block to background for badge count
background.js — Service worker
- YouTube oEmbed lookups (free, no API key, no quota)
- LRU video cache (2,000 entries, deduped requests)
- Daily TV Licensing rule check (3 pages, SHA-256 hash)
- AbortController timeouts on all fetches
- Browser notifications for detected changes
- 24-hour alarm fallback for long-running sessions
Built from the law, not assumptions
Communications Act 2003, Section 363
A TV Licence is required for two things: watching live TV on any channel, service, or device — and using BBC iPlayer for any content (live, catch-up, or on-demand). That's it.
YouTube is not a TV channel and it is not BBC iPlayer. Regular YouTube videos — including clips, highlights, and past streams uploaded by broadcasters — do not require a licence. Only when a UK broadcaster is actively streaming live on YouTube does the requirement apply.
No Signal uses this distinction precisely. Broadcaster websites are blocked because they serve live TV directly. On YouTube, only live broadcasts from broadcaster channels are blocked. Everything else passes through.
The maximum penalty for watching without a licence is a £1,000 fine plus legal costs. TV Licensing claims to catch over 1,000 people per day.
Sources: Communications Act 2003 · Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 · tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one · tvlicensing.co.uk/about/foi-legal-framework-AB16
Block broadcaster sites on every device
The browser extension handles YouTube. For broadcaster websites, you can go further — export the domain blocklist to your router, Pi-hole, or DNS resolver and block at the network level across every device in your home.
Hosts File
Standard format for /etc/hosts, Pi-hole, and router host files. Routes blocked domains to 0.0.0.0.
AdBlock / uBlock
AdBlock Plus filter syntax. Import directly into uBlock Origin, AdGuard, or any compatible blocker.
Dnsmasq
For routers running OpenWrt, DD-WRT, Tomato, or standalone dnsmasq.
Unbound
Unbound DNS resolver config format. Drop into your local config directory.
JSON
Full structured data with domains, categories, services, and legal references for programmatic use.
Import
Import domain lists from any format — drag and drop a file or paste directly. Auto-detects the format.
How to use No Signal
Install the extension, configure your settings, and export blocklists to your router — all in 60 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the UK TV Licence and how No Signal handles it.
Do I need a TV Licence to watch YouTube?+
What exactly requires a TV Licence in the UK?+
Why doesn't No Signal block all BBC/ITV content on YouTube?+
What about BBC iPlayer? Why is the whole website blocked?+
Can I watch Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+ without a licence?+
I've cancelled my TV Licence — how do I avoid accidentally breaking the law?+
Is it legal to block TV Licence content?+
Does No Signal collect any data?+
Can I block broadcaster content on my whole home network?+
Can I whitelist specific websites or YouTube channels?+
Selected Works
