Google makes YouTube much slower for Firefox and Edge

[GoodBytes]

Google is at again, YouTube run slower for those using Firefox or Edge. If you are using either web browser, you probably noticed that since the new YouTube redesign, YouTube is exceptionally slow. Well sharing light on the issue, Mozilla's Technical Program Manager, Chris Peterson, said on Twitter that YouTube new website uses Shadow DOM polyfill v0, which is a old, deprecated API, which only Chrome natively supports.

 

In addition, in the case of Firefox, Google implemented a polyfill that makes Firefox confused with the newer v1, making it having trouble to support v0. Chris added in another post on Twitter:

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Unfortunately, enabling Firefox's shadow DOM support (still in development) won't help because Firefox is implementing API v1, not deprecated v0. Also, YouTube uses an old Polymer polyfill that gets confused when Firefox's API is enabled.

So it looks like it will be very tricky for the Mozilla team to fix this issue.

 

The good news, is that YouTube still serves a version of the site without the implementation of Polyfill for IE11 users, as that old web browser doesn't support any of it. So you can use that, or install an extension to your web browser to by pass this.

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I assume Google has metrics showing that the Polymer redesign increases Firefox and Edge user engagement more than the slow polyfills hurt it. YouTube still serves the pre-Polymer design to IE11 by default so they could choose to serve it to Firefox and Edge too.

 

On Twitter Chris Peterson shares workarounds:

Firefox user have an extension called YouTube Classic which they can install: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/youtube-classic/

Edge users have the extension called Tampermonkey that they can install and use this script: https://openuserjs.org/scripts/Cpt_mathix/Youtube_-_Restore_Classic

 

Source: https://www.neowin.net/news/mozilla-executive-claims-that-google-has-made-youtube-slower-on-edge-and-firefox

 

 

Google have the been on the attack with its monopoly on services that people want from any competitor to its services. They did everything in their power to not provide Windows Phone its services back in 2013 with Windows Phone 7, which caused the device to fail to capture users. Now they are blocking Amazon Alexa fro using its services, they cut funding to Mozilla via Firefox default search engine which they previously supported. Recently Google was fined by the EU, $5 billion for Android anti-trust suit, and they continue their efforts at crushing the competition by ensuring YouTube runs best on Chrome.

 

 

[Crunchy Dragon]

Been using the old YouTube design since I hate the new one, does this affect that one as well, or must I have the extension?

[dizmo]

At first I immediately thought this is BS, and they should be fined massive sums of money.

I tried it, and indeed, Chrome is indeed significantly faster for me than Firefox. I'm still going to use Firefox though, because I like the design better.

 

However, at the same time, it makes sense that you'd want your platform to run best on your browser to push your product. Yes, it's unfair, but I don't see it as anti-competitive in the same way that their Android lawsuit was, so I really don't see much coming of this except perhaps user backlash.

 

Will we see enough people bitch to make a difference? Kinda doubt it.

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

Just now, dizmo said:

Will we see enough people bitch to make a difference? Kinda doubt it.

When you're the king, it's kind of hard to care enough.

[GoodBytes]

1 minute ago, dizmo said:

However, at the same time, it makes sense that you'd want your platform to run best on your browser to push your product. Yes, it's unfair, but I don't see it as anti-competitive in the same way that their Android lawsuit was, so I really don't see much coming of this except perhaps user backlash.

Usually, a website maker will do web browser exceptions if they really want to do something that only 1 or 2 can do really well, and the others can't. Like they are doing with IE11.

[dizmo]

1 minute ago, M.Yurizaki said:

When you're the king, it's kind of hard to care enough.

I'm personally fine with it as long as they don't force me to Chrome

[D13H4RD]

Well, it sucks but it could be worse.

 

They could push ads telling you "YouTube works best on Chrome. Download it now!" in your face before every video

[Mira Yurizaki]

3 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I'm personally fine with it as long as they don't force me to Chrome

Certainly puts a whole new meaning to "Best experienced on Chrome" or something.

[JCBiggs]

Just another reason there needs to be an alternative to youtube.  Just like facebook.

 

[TimeOmnivore]

YouTube loads much faster for me on Firefox. Though that's most likely due to the fact that I use an addon that reverts YT to the old style. So compared to the new redesign on Chrome, the old design on Firefox is the faster of the two.

[JoeCoke]

I'm not noticing anything substantial on my end. It's slightly faster on Chrome, but not by anything huge. But I'll always stick with Firefox, because I'm already pissed that I use Google/Youtube/Gmail and I'll avoid using them anywhere I can. It's almost tempting to switch to iPhone just to get further away from Google. Almost...

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

is this also true for Safari? 

[HarryNyquist]

Google: We do not prefer our own technology and force people to use it, and will appeal our $5 billion fine from the EU to prove our innocence.

Also Google: Hey, let's use a self-made deprecated API on our new YouTube redesign that only really works on our self-made browser.

 

EU: [laughs in eurobeat]

[Stefan Payne]

21 minutes ago, dizmo said:

At first I immediately thought this is BS, and they should be fined massive sums of money.

And it seems like they want to make up for the Money the EU lost with Brexit and want to finance another round...

 

If they get wind of it, they will fine google/Alphabet a nother 5 Milliard...

[vanished]

So they can't figure out how to hardware accelerate their own site in their own browser so they artificially cripple other browsers by using obsolete web design practices.  GG, guess the last lawsuit wasn't enough.  I say hit em again.

[Christophe Corazza]

But the EU only fined Google because it wanted the money, right?

 

Don’t be evil my ass...

[Cole5]

24 minutes ago, HarryNyquist said:

Google: We do not prefer our own technology and force people to use it, and will appeal our $5 billion fine from the EU to prove our innocence.

Also Google: Hey, let's use a self-made deprecated API on our new YouTube redesign that only really works on our self-made browser.

 

EU: [laughs in eurobeat]

hahahaahhaha

Oh google, how far you morons have fallen

[captain_to_fire]

Looks like it reflects some of @Ryan_Vickers' testing:

 

[captain_to_fire]

56 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Google is at again, YouTube run slower for those using Firefox or Edge.

Somehow I'm glad that Netflix isn't making their own browser because I use Edge with Netflix as it's the only one capable of playing at 1080p on Windows. 

[asus killer]

If EU was a person it would be laughing at this topic. Vindicated.

This crap is totally unacceptable and Chrome is a piece of crap as IE was back in the day, i hope to never be forced to use it.

[vanished]

5 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Looks like it reflects some of @Ryan_Vickers' testing:

 

No actually that was just about playing back video.  I think this article is about general navigation, and come to think of it, I have noticed this but yeah that's a different topic.

[captain_to_fire]

42 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

Well, it sucks but it could be worse.

 

They could push ads telling you "YouTube works best on Chrome. Download it now!" in your face before every video

Google is quite notorious for one.

Spoiler

Granted Microsoft does something similar 

Spoiler

 

[Bcat00]

Hmm, i don't know but i can't feel any of this supposed slow down on my iphone's safari. 

Maybe its just desktops?

[QuantumBit]

Huh... explains a lot...

[dizmo]

6 minutes ago, M.Yurizaki said:

Certainly puts a whole new meaning to "Best experienced on Chrome" or something.

Haha yeah. I'm more annoyed with constantly being bothered to get...whatever they're calling the paid version of YouTube.