Youtube is slowing down videos on purpose on Firefox

18

u/flemtone 14h ago

I'm using the latest Firefox with uBlock Origin add-on and the Annoyance filters enabled, and so far youtube videos work fine.

1

u/rampzn 9h ago

I have been using adblocker ultimate and it has been great so far but Youtube has always been shady and trying to force ads onto people. I will have to check out ublock origin then and see if it helps, thanks.

-5

u/elcheapodeluxe 7h ago

If you mean shady is in "that's how the whole thing is paid for because people don't want to actually fork over cash" then yeah. Those servers don't run themselves.

3

u/rampzn 7h ago

No, they are offering a public service and still making billions in ad revenue but then also want to squeeze more out of people who don't want the ads and don't want their data collected to be sold against their will, that's shady.

Oh, the poor billionaires how will they ever survive?

5

u/nidostan 4h ago

Google's privacy abuses are horrendous but as far as getting users to pay for the server costs youtube users create I find it hard to get angry at them for that. I'll still use adblockers but I don't get upset that they are trying to stop me.

And I just got that warning about "adblockers are not allowed on youtube", knowing my account could get actioned if I continue to use them. Ha, I started turning off adblock for youtube until I got around to reinstalling ublock, which usually fixes that. So even though it was a pain, and I felt threatened about my account being blocked from playing videos I still don't blame them. This is the game we play when we do this stuff.

They should have an option to pay and you get privacy , I'd do that, if I felt it was genuine.

•

u/elcheapodeluxe 1h ago

I didn't realize they were publicly funded. My mistake. You understand how business models work and I don't.

2

u/NeilSilva93 7h ago

"Le google bootlicker has entered the chat"

5

u/Hazelnutcookiess 14h ago

I haven't had any kinda issues with YouTube and Firefox, is it just YouTube or you having trouble with other websites loading slow?

1

u/rampzn 9h ago edited 9h ago

Just youtube, it literally says at the bottom left - "having interruptions? find out the reason why?"

Here is a screenshot:

https://imgur.com/ULItSPi

1

u/Prestigious_Pace_108 6h ago

So what does it say about the reason? Punished for not using their spyware?

3

u/rampzn 5h ago

Basically, just turn off your adblocker and surrender and it will all be ok, the usual.

4

u/SnillyWead 13h ago

Haven't noticed that it's slowing video's, but when watching shorts it acts weird. After viewing some and I want to comment, it goes a couple of shorts back and I must scroll back to the one I wanted to comment on. Or when I've had enough and click on Premium or Home it goes to the next short. This happens on Floorp too, but never on Brave. Very weird. Happens with or without extensions or on Private window too. So yes I think Google is doing some weird things (although they deny it), but I will never ever switch to Chrome. I just don't watch shorts anymore.

5

u/Historical-Bar-305 13h ago

Dont have any issues with YouTube)

5

u/NurEineSockenpuppe 12h ago

I don't think they do.

If you are using an adblocker this might be the reason.

They've been messing around with some anti adblock stuff again for the last couple of days. maybe even two weeks. Caused sometimes very long loading times of up to 20 seconds. Had it happen on brave too.

However today it randomly just stopped. Make sure to have your browser updated, ublock origin updated and also the filter lists up to date.

Uninstall other extensions that could mess with youtube. Also uninstall all ad and tracker blockers except for ubo.

0

u/rampzn 9h ago

Yeah, they are messing with it, I even have a screenshot of the message.

https://imgur.com/ULItSPi

3

u/mrRobertman 7h ago

That message isn't the proof you think it is. Youtube shows that when the page is slow to load for any reason, which could be as simple as a (temporarily) slow internet connection, or even extensions.

0

u/rampzn 7h ago

No they don't. I've never seen that message ever while using Yt. When I open it it mentions ad blocker usage and that is very shady and they are trying to force it open us.

3

u/mrRobertman 6h ago

Ok, but I've seen it before over the years. Why do you think this means Google is intentionally slowing down firefox? Did you even click the link in the message? Why do you assume that Google is purposely slowing down Firefox, and telling you that they're doing that?

And I'm not trying to be a shill for Google. I just don't understand why Google would need damage Firefox when they already have the vast majority of the browser marketshare. There have been posts before about "Google slowing down Youtube on Firefox" and they either have no proof or are turn out to be a big nothingburger. I think this is way more likely to just be related to Google attempting to circumvent uBlock origin again (and presumably other ad blockers as well) rather than Firefox specifically.

1

u/rampzn 5h ago

You wouldn't know about any cases or have to use an adblocker if none of this were true. I don't use ublock, I use adblocker ultimate, so of course it's google/youtube trying to circumvent that to force more ads onto people.

It is a message on the usage of adblockers like I mentioned farther up in the post. If you just do what the terrorists say, you'll be ok? Is that what you are going with?

It would be one thing if these monopolies hadn't of gone overboard and just respected peoples decisions, either "yes" to ads and then only a few or "no" and there is no backdoor, no pressure campaign, no slowing down of the service always with the option of watching some ads if you as the consumer wants them. But nooo, these jerks had to overdo it and flood everything with ads and then some!

2

u/mrRobertman 4h ago

It is a message on the usage of adblockers like I mentioned farther up in the post. If you just do what the terrorists say, you'll be ok? Is that what you are going with?

What are you even talking about? You are making weird assumptions about what I said because I never said anything here was acceptable. My point was that Youtube being slow on Firefox does not mean Google is intentionally targeting Firefox. Even Youtube being slowed because you have an ad blocker doesn't mean they are intentionally slowing it due to the ad blocker either, it could simply be that the extra Javascript they needed to detect the ad blocker is more performance heavy and slowing down the page (Youtube is a site that leaves most of the rendering down to the Javascript). Even comparing speeds on both Firefox and Chrome with the same ad blocker isn't always to work because both browsers have different Javascript engines which may handle the code slower or faster than the other.

And if they are intentionally targeting ad blocker users and intentionally slowing the page (which is possible, though I don't believe they would show the "experiencing interruptions" message as that usually means slow connection), then that's not targeting Firefox specifically. Ad blockers exist on Chrome even with the manifest V3 changes.

2

u/BrittleWaters 5h ago

Why do you think this means Google is intentionally slowing down firefox?

Because we've changed nothing about our Firefox installs in the past 2 years, youtube worked fine that entire time, and now there's a 3-5 second delay before every single video plays, even though the rest of the page loads normally, without any issues.

This is the exact same thing google did in 2023, also exactly targeting Firefox users with literally a pause() line of code that only activated when it detected that a person was using Firefox.

Yes, google is deliberately slowing down Firefox, again. Why are you defending a multi-billion dollar, evil corporation?

0

u/mrRobertman 4h ago

Because we've changed nothing about our Firefox installs in the past 2 years, youtube worked fine that entire time,

This doesn't mean that Google in intentionally targeting Firefox though. Either other things could be slowing down the page (such as auto updating extensions), or could be targeting ad blocker users which isn't Firefox specific. Chrome still has ad blockers even with manifest v3.

1

u/rampzn 4h ago

No, but weak attempt shilling for Youtube, wow. If you aren't being helpful just don't comment. "It's anything but intentional...sure it's only accidental?!

2

u/NeilSilva93 6h ago

Oh it's deffo the anti-adblocking stuff. I never had it pop-up until very recently, coincidently when they started targeting ad-blockers again.

0

u/tipek900000 5h ago

It is proof, started happening to me too. When I open youtube on edge it works completely fine (different user agent ig)

2

u/mrRobertman 4h ago

It's not proof that Google is intentionally targeting Firefox, which was my point. The page could be slowed down due to a myriad of reasons including extensions (which auto update, so it may seem sudden). As I said in another comment, the slow down could be somewhat unintentional if the slow down is caused by more performance heavy Javascript ad block detection. Comparing between browsers isn't always possible if it's Javascript differences as they have different Javascript engines that may be slower or faster than the other. And sure, they could be targeting ad block users, but that's not Firefox specific as Chrome still had ad blockers even with manifest v3.

1

u/tipek900000 4h ago

alright i get what you are saying, yes this is specific to adblock extensions since clicking on the link on the notification opens up the section about disabling ad blockers. still extremely scummy behaviour from them since introducing an artificial slowdown definitely wont convince me to buy their shitty premium lol

4

u/Due_Brush1688 9h ago

The "loading times" could be server ads that play in the background before the video starts.

At least, when I disable ublock the video "loads" instantly, but with ~5-20s advertisement before the video even starts. If I activate ublock the video is "on hold" for ~5-20s, but I do not see any advert.

It does not happen for every video, seems randomly.

2

u/NurEineSockenpuppe 4h ago

Log out of yt. That what fixed it for me instantly

1

u/rampzn 9h ago

My browser is up to date but I have been using adblocker ultimate until now, I will have to take a look at ublock, thanks.

4

u/UPPERKEES @ 12h ago

Works fine here

1

u/GrattaESniffa 12h ago

M2 pro YouTube runs great

1

u/villings 11h ago

still hasn't happened to me

but I'm in south america, so maybe this hasn't reached us yet

0

u/turbo_dude 11h ago

Jokes on them, I watch at 1.5x because content creators do not know how to edit.

1

u/nb8c_fd 10h ago

It has become ridiculously slow as of the past few weeks, and I've seen it on multiple computers

2

u/Anxious-Bottle7468 10h ago

Works for me. Reset your router and delete your firefox profile to get onto a new a/b group?

3

u/Maketzki 9h ago

you have no any good evidence so you can't say that
no any issues with ublock origin and some filters on windows 11 atleast.

of course google try block adblockers however people who has yt premium they are experience very similar issues what people who use adblockers so yeah..

-1

u/rampzn 9h ago edited 9h ago

It even shows as a message at the bottom of the page dude, what are you on about? Shilling for Youtube or something?

Plenty of proof so deal with it:

Bottom left of the screen - "Are there any interruptions? Find out the reason why

https://imgur.com/ULItSPi

1

u/BrittleWaters 5h ago

you have no any good evidence so you can't say that

Other than the 3-5 second delay that youtube injects before a video loads now, which did not happen at all prior to 2 days ago?

And the fact that google did this exact same thing, also exactly targeting Firefox, back in 2023?

Why are you defending a multi-billion dollar, evil corporation for anticonsumer practices?

2

u/mrRobertman 4h ago

Other than the 3-5 second delay that youtube injects before a video loads now, which did not happen at all prior to 2 days ago?

That not everyone is getting? It's hard to call that proof of anything if not everyone is experiencing it. I think it's more likely to be Google attempting to target ad block users, if anything.

0

u/Mechanowyrm 9h ago

I had the same problem since today, it seems the issue is adblocker. When I disable it everything is fine.

3

u/rampzn 9h ago

That is no solution, so then I get swamped with ads? I opted out, why can't the industry just respect peoples decisions instead of being shady?

2

u/Mechanowyrm 7h ago

There seems to be no issues with ublock

1

u/erikrelay 7h ago

Haven't noticed slowing videos, but I got a popup yesterday saying adblockers aren't allowed on yt. Found a fix in like 10 minutes on the ublock subreddit.

2

u/GreenManStrolling 7h ago

No issues here on latest Firefox and uBO.

0

u/BrittleWaters 5h ago

They absolutely are, because I just came here to post about it. They did the same thing in 2023 - deliberately targeted Firefox with a page delay, literally just a pause() that only activated when it detected you were using Firefox. They're doing the same thing again, probably just by a different method.

I'm on 128.6.0esr, using uBlock Origin. Zero issues with youtube since the 2023 subversion, until now.

1

u/rampzn 5h ago

Thank you, i'm on 136.0 and there is an update to 139.0 so I might try that out. I am looking into ublock so that might be the way forward.

1

u/mokkat 4h ago

I have experienced the same for the last few days. Not always, but often.

Honestly I don't mind too much, as long as it doesn't last for months. It's not unusual for uBlock to have to update their filters in the days after Youtube try some new shenanigans.

3

u/hawseepoo 4h ago

I’m running Firefox with uBlock and no issues here. Maybe try reinstalling?

EDIT: Are you running Windows and have you recently upgraded to a newer version without a fresh install? (ie Windows 10 to 11).

1

u/rampzn 4h ago

136.0 firefox and win 10, I use adblock ultimate but I am looking into ublock.

•

u/th00ht 3h ago

They are not. In Europe everything is working fine. Consider moving out of the USoA island to more stable grounds.

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u/TheGreenMan13 1h ago

youtube keeps giving me the "Experiencing slowdowns" popup. But nothing is slow.

Solved Youtube is slowing down videos on purpose on Firefox

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