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YouTube Fixes Bug That Trapped Some Web Users in Repeated CAPTCHAs

The mix-up shows how automated anti-bot checks can accidentally shut out real people.

Overview

  • YouTube confirmed in an official Reddit comment that the CAPTCHA redirects were issued in error, with a fix now live.
  • Reports on Reddit and DownDetector described frequent pop-ups that blocked access to videos and made normal browsing hard.
  • The prompts used simple text-entry puzzles and displayed a generic warning that said the site saw unusual traffic.
  • A consistent trigger did not emerge, as VPN use, DNS changes, and ad blockers did not reliably explain the prompts.
  • The disruptions mainly hit the web version of YouTube, while users said the mobile apps continued to work normally.