New PC, for some reason Reddit videos (maybe images too) are not loading. Edge says “This content is blocked. Contact the site owner to fix the issue.” While Firefox is just showing blackscreen. Never seen something like this

Troubleshooting Reddit Content Loading Issues on a New Windows 11 PC

Having trouble viewing Reddit videos or images on a brand-new Windows 11 Pro PC can be perplexing, especially when common solutions don’t seem to help. Recently, users have reported that Reddit multimedia content is either not loading at all or is being blocked, despite using multiple browsers. In this article, we’ll explore potential causes and solutions for this issue, providing you with a systematic approach to resolve it.

Understanding The Issue

A typical scenario involves attempting to view videos or images embedded within Reddit posts and encountering error messages such as:

In Microsoft Edge: “This content is blocked. Contact the site owner to fix the issue.”
In Mozilla Firefox: A black screen appears where the video or image should be.

Despite installing different browsers, the problem persists across platforms. The affected user has also tried using a VPN without success, indicating that the issue isn’t related to regional restrictions.

Possible Causes

Security Software or Firewall Settings: New PCs often come with pre-installed security tools or have Windows Defender enabled with strict settings. These can sometimes block scripts, embedded content, or certain media types from loading properly.
Browser Settings or Extensions: Sometimes, privacy settings, ad blockers, or extensions can interfere with content loading. Even after disabling extensions, settings might still be restrictive.
Network Restrictions or DNS Issues: Although a VPN was tried, other network-level restrictions or DNS configurations might prevent certain content from loading.
Outdated or Missing System or Browser Updates: Ensuring that your Windows OS and browsers are fully updated is critical, as outdated software can have compatibility issues with modern web content.
Content Blocking Policies: Reddit or the browsers themselves might implement certain policies or employ Content Security Policies (CSP) that could inadvertently block embedded media, especially if local security settings are overly restrictive.

Recommended Troubleshooting Steps

Check Windows Security Settings
Open Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection.
Review the Threat history and ensure no blocks are in place that could affect web content.
Under App & Browser Control, check the Web Protection settings and turn off any strict configurations temporarily.
Adjust Browser Privacy and Security Settings
In Edge and Firefox, reset privacy settings to their defaults.
Disable any ad blockers or privacy extensions temporarily.
Clear cache and cookies to ensure no corrupted data is causing display issues.
**Verify Firewall and