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Would changing useragent to chrome cause me problems? (lemm.ee)

submitted 1 year ago by flashgnash@lemm.ee to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I'm hearing a lot about websites like netflix and YouTube crippling their performance in some way if you're using firefox instead of chrome/a smart TV

Is it likely to cause me problems if I just globally change my useragent to chrome instead of firefox?

Alternatively, is there an extension that automatically bypasses all of these things that people are aware of (pretends to be a smart TV for netflix, chrome for YouTube, etc automatically)

If there's not an extension, what would be involved in making one? Obviously user agent changes dependant on URL but I'm not sure what other metrics these websites might be able to use to figure out what you're using

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[–] snooggums@kbin.social 11 points 1 year ago

Both Youtube and Netflix work perfectly fine for me in Firefix with uBlock Origin on default settings, everything loads up instantly and plays smoothly. Don't even have pauses for ads on Youtube, it is like they don't even exist.

[–] Deebster@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago

No, it'll be fine 99% of the time.

Nowadays, feature detection is done within browsers, and the differences between browsers are small enough that servers generally will serve the same version of a page to all.

[–] tias@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

On this subject, does anyone know of an extension that lets me spoof user agent only for specific sites such as YouTube?

[–] ares35@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

this firefox one lists that as one of its features:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/user-agent-string-switcher/

[–] swade2569@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I'm studying for my Network+ (should have had it a long time ago), and watching a #youtube live stream with a study group. Very laggy and buffering events, even when turning my resolution down to 360p.

I suspected I was being throttled because I was using #Firefox and uBlock.

I opened up #Chrome (no #adblock is added), and watched the same stream. No glitches at all.

Not surprised but quite annoying of course.

I'm going to try a useragent addon and see if it helps.