I’ve recently observed an unusual issue while watching videos on YouTube. It appears that my video loading times have significantly increased, and I suspect it might be related to having my ad blocker enabled.
Has anyone else faced a similar problem? I use an ad-blocking extension, and I’ve noticed that video buffering is often very slow and the playback occasionally stutters or freezes. However, when I turn off the ad blocker, videos play smoothly again.
Could this be YouTube’s strategy to discourage users from using ad blockers? Are they purposefully affecting the viewing experience for those who block ads? I’m interested to hear if others have encountered this issue and what solutions they’ve found.
i’ve noticed this as well! thought it was my connection, but turning off the ad blocker fixed it. youtube’s tactics are kinda sneaky, it seems like they’re trying to make us turn off ad blockers to improve the experience.
This has been a documented issue for several months now. YouTube has implemented various measures that specifically target ad blocker users, including slower loading speeds and reduced video quality. The platform detects certain ad blocking extensions and deliberately degrades performance as a countermeasure. I experienced this with uBlock Origin initially, but switching to different filter lists or using alternative ad blockers sometimes helps temporarily. The issue tends to be more pronounced during peak hours and affects certain browser configurations more than others. YouTube continues to update their detection methods regularly, so what works today might not work next week. Some users report success with disabling JavaScript temporarily or using browser-specific solutions, though these workarounds require constant adjustment as YouTube adapts their systems.