YouTube has revealed that the slowdown in video loading on its platform that users have experienced while using Firefox is not related to any specific browser, but rather a measure taken to encourage users to stop using ad blockers in any browser.

Some Firefox users have reported a five-second delay in video loading and a black screen for several seconds before the video starts playing. However, this issue has not been observed in other browsers such as Chrome.

YouTube has stated that this delay is due to the use of ad blocker extensions in Firefox and is not dependent on the browser being used. The company has launched an effort to convince users to either allow ads on YouTube or try a subscription to the Premium version if they do not want advertising.

The spokesperson for YouTube explained that users with ad blockers installed may experience suboptimal display regardless of the browser they use. This delay in video playback is another measure that YouTube has implemented to discourage the use of ad blockers, along with previous measures such as warnings and the possibility of video playback being blocked if ad blockers are detected.

Google’s main source of revenue comes from advertising, so it’s crucial for its YouTube platform. However, there are concerns about user privacy being violated by using spyware to detect these programs in browsers.