Summary
- Google has implemented a five-second delay on YouTube for users who visit the site with ad blockers enabled, as noticed by users of Firefox and Edge.
- Some users speculate that this delay is a deliberate measure to discourage the use of ad blockers.
- Google claims that this delay is part of its effort to crack down on ad blockers and urges viewers to either allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.
In an effort to crack down on ad blockers, Google recently started requiring users to disable them to continue viewing videos on YouTube. However, this might not have been the only measure it’s taken to get the point across, and it looks like some users of third-party browsers were inadvertently caught in the crossfire. Firefox and Edge users believe they’re being forced to endure a delay when opening a YouTube video.
On Reddit, u/vk6_ recently made a since-removed post claiming that there is now a five-second delay in place for users who choose to use a browser other than Google Chrome to visit YouTube on desktop (via 9to5Google). The user even recorded the delay in action and shared a video depicting it. However, it seems that this hang-up is only impacting Firefox and Edge browser users — when attempting to recreate the issue in Chrome, the delay no longer appears to be an issue. Redditor u/vk6_ went as far as to examine the JavaScript code in place to ensure the problem didn’t have to do with Firefox. They hunted down the code they believed to be contributing to the delay, but it’s undetermined if the five-second add-on occurs as a direct result of browser choice.
In the meantime, Google itself has chimed in on the discussion. The company offered a statement to Android Authority, saying that the measure is part of its ad blocking crackdown:
To support a diverse ecosystem of creators globally and allow billions to access their favorite content on YouTube, we’ve launched an effort to urge viewers with ad blockers enabled to allow ads on YouTube or try YouTube Premium for an ad free experience. Users who have ad blockers installed may experience suboptimal viewing, regardless of the browser they are using.
Given that Firefox and Edge both have built-in ad and tracking blockers, it's possible that those who tested the behavior either had these features activated or that Google mistakenly identified them as active even though they were not active. In any event, we were not able to confirm this behavior on YouTube in Firefox, neither with its built-in tracking blockers enabled nor disabled. It's possible that YouTube has changed the behavior following its statement.
Despite YouTube’s crackdown on ad blockers, many of those who use an Android device know that there are workarounds for ads on the video platform. For example, YouTube Vanced used to be a popular option until Google eliminated it. The company has started taking steps to eliminate follow-up solutions as well. Recently, it was revealed that Google is developing something called the Android WebView Media Integrity API. This API could be able to detect third-party apps that use a YouTube stream in a WebView, which is one of multiple ways some third-party apps like NewPipe block advertisements on YouTube. The counter-argument is that WebViews can allow app developers to alter what is displayed on third-party websites. Through this API, Google could theoretically help device owners stay safe from malware.
All of that being said, it’s hard to imagine that the company wouldn’t also leverage the API to benefit YouTube. With creators looking to sustain their income and Google hunting for ways to maintain the profitability of YouTube, the API might be a viable solution. This isn’t to say that device owners won’t switch to other ways around advertisements. As always, it's a cat-and-mouse game.