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YouTube is slowing down for users with ad blockers in new wave
(9to5google.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Not at all a solution, but worth mentioning that in a YouTube URL you can replace /shorts/ with /v/ and get the normal player for the same video.
I just want the short form content out of my life, but your tip might help others who dislike the player and not the video's.