YouTube has found a new way to punish people still using ad blockers after its crackdown fell on its face. The crackdown forced many to switch off ad blockers, but most users simply switched to better ad blockers that still worked as intended on YouTube.
Following the implementation of measures targeting ad-blocker programs within its application, users who do not utilize Chrome began encountering delayed loading times for YouTube videos. A Redditor recently shared a video that has now been removed, showing the long delay before a video loads up.
The Reddit user delved into the JavaScript code to investigate whether the issue was related to Firefox. They identified the code they suspected might be causing the delay, but it remains uncertain whether the five-second extension is directly tied to the choice of browser.
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Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Google had introduced a deliberate five-second delay on YouTube for users employing ad blockers when accessing the site. Notably, this delay was specifically targeted at users of Firefox and Edge. It is worth mentioning that only Microsoft Edge is the Chromium-based browser among the two.
Some users noticed this delay as soon as Google’s initial ad blocker crackdown came into effect. It would only affect those who had their ad blockers on.
Certain users speculated that the introduced delay was a deliberate tactic to dissuade the use of ad blockers. Nevertheless, Google has refuted these claims, asserting that the delay is solely a technical requirement to guarantee the proper loading and display of ads. The duration for which Google intends to maintain this delay remains uncertain.
