YouTube is deliberately slowing video loading for users with ad blockers enabled, in what appears to be an escalation in Google's campaign against ad-blocking extensions.
Multiple users acrossReddit and the Brave browser forum report videos displaying black screens for the typical duration of pre-roll ads before content begins playing. The video player simultaneously shows a pop-up ("Experiencing interruptions? Find out why") with a link directing users to a Google support page about disabling ad-blocking extensions, suggesting the slowdowns are intentional.
The recent crackdown is a shift from YouTube's previous tactics of simply displaying warning messages or blocking video playback entirely. The new approach inserts artificial delays that mirror the time you would spend watching advertisements, basically forcing the same annoying time investment, whether ads are blocked or not.
It looks like specific user accounts previously flagged for ad-blocking behavior are being targeted, potentially bypassing detection methods that extension developers typically use to counter YouTube's measures. PCWorld confirmed the behavior using uBlock Origin Lite, while Brave browser users report similar experiences despite the browser's built-in ad-blocking capabilities.
Pop-up users see during delays (Image credit: PCWorld)
This latest move suggests YouTube is prepared to significantly degrade the user experience for non-paying users who refuse to view advertisements or subscribe to the $13.99 monthly YouTube Premium service, which offers an ad-free experience, offline downloads, and background playback.
For what it's worth, YouTube recently introduced a Premium Lite plan for $7.99/month that removes ads for most videos, excluding music content, Shorts, and when you search or browse.
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve).
The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements.
While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way.
By the time the ...
Apple's Terminal app is getting a visual refresh in macOS Tahoe, and it's the first notable design update since the command-line tool debuted.
The updated Terminal will support 24-bit color and Powerline fonts, according to Apple's State of the Platforms presentation at WWDC25. The app will also adopt the new Liquid Glass aesthetic with redesigned themes that align with macOS 26's broader...
Apple this week revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer.
That means that iOS 18 is the end of the road for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which were all released in 2018. However, those devices will continue to receive security updates for at least a few more years.
iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models:
iPhone 16e
iPhone...
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever.
Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta.
Widgets Top or Bottom
In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock...
Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers.
Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
When the...
I really hate this business model...YouTube was ad-free when it launched in 2005 - 2010ish. It purposely bent the rules to drive viewership to their site and make them the best video service in town.
Then over the past decade once they established pretty much a monopoly, they forced disruptive ads. And now they crammed more ads per minute. And they can do so because there isn't a comparable alternative.
I admit there is an argument for a paid subscription, but I just don't find it worth it. They have every right to cut me off, I'm not entitled to anyone's content, but at that point I'd rather read a book.
I mean that's their business model, you watch ads or you pay to have them removed. As annoying as it is there's no right to view YouTube videos ad free.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
