YouTube’s Ad Blocker Issues: A Bug in Adblock Plus

YouTube users have recently raised concerns about site slowdowns, particularly for those employing ad blockers. Users complain of poor loading performance, as highlighted in a Reddit thread discovered by 9to5Google. Videos with ad blockers enabled struggle to load quickly, causing interruptions in playback speed and pausing around the 30-second mark. The slowdowns are attributed to YouTube’s detection of ad blockers, leading to issues like lag, unresponsive full-screen mode, and comments section, and even hindering Chrome from loading other webpages while YouTube is open.

Ad Blocker Tactics and YouTube’s Response

YouTube fights ad blockers with tactics like pop-up warnings and a 5-second delay on site load for users with ad blockers, pushing them to disable it or opt for YouTube Premium. These actions have initiated a constant back-and-forth between Google/YouTube and the ad blocker community.

A Potential Accidental Slowdown: Adblock Plus Bug

Contrary to YouTube’s intentional efforts, the slowdowns may stem from an inadvertent bug in Adblock Plus. The latest consensus suggests that version 3.22 of Adblock Plus introduced “performance issues.” A bug report from Adblock Plus acknowledges these problems and assures a resolution in version 3.22.1. Developer Raymond Hill of uBlock Origin points out that the issue is specific to Adblock Plus and its spinoffs, emphasizing that blaming YouTube is an “incorrect diagnosis.”

Regardless of the cause, this isn’t the first time such incidents have occurred on YouTube. The confusion among users is evident in the Reddit thread, with comments expressing surprise and attributing the issues to their internet connection or considering a Chrome reinstallation.