As Reddit users flooded the platform with complaints about YouTube videos buffering slowly when using ad-blockers, Google found itself in the midst of another scandal this week.
It seemed plausible that Google was trying to discourage YouTube users from using ad-blockers, which have a negative impact on the platform’s revenue model.
YouTube has repeatedly stated in the past that ad-blockers violate its terms of service and also reduce the income of content creators. Therefore, many people speculated that the recent video lag issues were connected to the use of ad-blockers.
However, Google refuted these claims without providing any clear explanation for the video lag issues, suggesting that YouTube was not responsible for them.
YouTube told AndroidCentral in a brief statement that “our ad blocker detection efforts have nothing to do with the recent reports of users experiencing loading delays on YouTube. Users who are facing issues can find troubleshooting tips on our help center.”
According to Raymond Hill, the developer of uBlock Origin, the performance problems seem to be caused by the newest versions of Adblock and Adblock Plus (5.17) only.
Ad-blockers are software tools that block or remove ads from websites and apps. They are popular among internet users who want to avoid intrusive or annoying ads, protect their privacy, or save bandwidth. However, ad-blockers also pose a threat to the online advertising industry, which relies on ads to generate revenue and fund content creation.
YouTube is one of the most popular online platforms, with over 2 billion monthly active users and over 500 hours of video uploaded every minute. YouTube makes money by showing ads to its users, either before, during, or after the videos. YouTube also offers a subscription service called YouTube Premium, which allows users to watch videos without ads, download videos for offline viewing, and access exclusive content.
YouTube has been trying to balance the interests of its users, advertisers, and content creators, while also complying with the laws and regulations of different countries. YouTube has faced criticism and controversy for various issues, such as its content moderation policies, its algorithm recommendations, its handling of copyright claims, and its impact on social and political issues.