2 min read
YouTube has been actively implementing measures that can lead to a degraded experience for users with ad blockers. It’s a persistent cat-and-mouse game between YouTube and ad-blocker users.
Many users have reported experiencing artificial slowdowns, increased buffering, and longer load times for YouTube videos when using ad blockers. Some reports even mention a deliberate 5-second delay in video loading when an ad blocker is detected.
Another reported side effect is a significant increase in CPU usage on devices with ad blockers enabled while watching YouTube. This can lead to overall system sluggishness, overheating, and noisy fans, particularly on less powerful machines.
While YouTube is often the first suspect, some reports, including statements from AdBlock and uBlock Origin developers, suggest that updates or issues within the ad-blocking extensions themselves can also contribute to performance problems on YouTube and other sites. Using multiple ad blockers simultaneously can exacerbate these issues.
YouTube’s official stance has generally been that these issues are not directly caused by their ad-blocker detection efforts, and they often direct users to their troubleshooting guides. However, their ongoing efforts to combat ad blockers are well-documented.
Interestingly, some YouTube Premium subscribers who use ad blockers for other websites have also reported experiencing these slowdowns, leading to frustration as they are already paying for an ad-free experience on YouTube.YouTube’s business model relies heavily on advertising revenue.
In essence, if you’re experiencing slow YouTube videos while using an ad blocker, it’s highly likely to be related to YouTube’s ongoing efforts to encourage ad viewing or a side effect of how ad blockers interact with YouTube’s continuously evolving platform. Users are constantly seeking workarounds, and ad blocker developers are likewise working to adapt to YouTube’s measures.
