YouTube’s continuous struggle with ad blockers has intensified as Opera GX users are encountering significant access problems, overshadowing its streaming capabilities.
A growing discussion is taking place on the YouTube subreddit where users are talking about the recent difficulties accessing the site (via 9to5Google). The current issues seem to be highly particular, with numerous reports from users of the Opera GX browser. The original poster noted that they were listening to music on YouTube when suddenly, everything ceased to function.
The website went blank, and the video thumbnails disappeared.
While many users assumed this meant YouTube was down or experiencing server issues, further reports suggest that ad blockers may be the culprit. One user indicates that accessing YouTube via Opera GX encounters the same trouble, while others mention that using a different browser does not lead to any problems. Another user remarked, “Mine was also broken, it seems related to Adblock, as the site operates perfectly without it, but fails completely with it. At least from my perspective.”
Interestingly, another user claims they haven’t been able to open YouTube through Opera GX with ad block activated; however, entering via Google Chrome (with ad block) works without a hitch. User SH4DE_RL asserts that the built-in ad blocker in Opera GX is the source of the issue and that turning it off “resolves the problem.”
These complications began arising for users earlier today (Nov 7). If you’re still facing them and you’re using the Opera GX browser, consider trying the solutions that some users have proposed on Reddit. This might rectify the situation, but it’s worth noting that users with AdBlock on YouTube have faced similar challenges.
Earlier this summer, there was an incident involving users and ad blockers, where reports suggested YouTube was “slowing down” videos. The platform reportedly chose to throttle or dampen videos for those employing ad blockers.
Reports indicated that the platform would postpone videos and also attempt to redirect users to a Google support page, pretending it was a different issue. Naturally, the support page recommended removing any extensions (such as AdBlock).
YouTube has been embroiled in this conflict against ad blockers for several years now, trying various strategies. One of the most visible attempts was its experiment of completely halting video streaming unless users disabled the blocker or subscribed to YouTube Premium.
YouTube is already dealing with several issues, as users are becoming increasingly frustrated with its TV streaming aspect. Recent reports suggest that users are contemplating abandoning the service, especially as they miss channels provided by Disney, including ESPN and ABC. Furthermore, a substantial number of surveyed users reportedly indicate that if these problems persist, they will seek alternatives.
