Some users are encountering a five-second delay when loading YouTube videos in Firefox or Microsoft Edge. The issue seems to affect both users with ad blockers and those without any extensions. Curiously, this problem is absent in the Chrome browser, suggesting a potential account-related cause.
Monetization Expansion and Platform Performance
YouTube has recently taken steps to enhance monetization, including blocking video playback for ad blocker users and promoting YouTube Premium subscriptions. While this move aligns with the platform’s need for revenue and creator support, the intentional slowdown of YouTube’s desktop site for specific Firefox and Edge users raises questions about its purpose.
Investigation and Findings
A Reddit user, vk6_, shared a video demonstrating the five-second delay exclusively in Mozilla Firefox, absent when using Chrome. Further investigation by the enthusiast revealed that the delay isn’t a Firefox bug but a deliberate addition in the YouTube desktop client’s JavaScript code. Redditors collaborated, identifying a script fragment implementing the delay.
User Verification and Potential Reasoning
Users can inspect the YouTube video service’s JavaScript file and search for the code snippet adding a five-second delay. While not confirmed universally across browsers, reports suggest its account-specific nature. Additionally, discussions hint at its potential role in ad display duration or ad blocker countermeasures, notes NIX Solutions.
This delay triggers consistently when opening YouTube links in new tabs and could potentially serve as a workaround for ad block usage, ensuring a designated ad viewing time before video playback begins.