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FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

freetubeapp.io

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Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#161

Post by benplumley »

Nitrolo wrote: post #158
MR4D wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you might not be understanding the context of the argument. Google has tons of information on you - way more than it needs, and yet it still doesn’t get recommendations as good as we expect (as you rightly point out). So the issue is that it has tons of extra data than they need because it * doesn’t make their recommendation any better.* Gathering data for the sake of gathering data in todays world of informa…

>For instance, my IP changes when I travel, but I’m an American who speaks English, and yet YouTube insists in showing me local ads in different languages when I’m in foreign countries, despite having my home address (verified with my credit card no less!!!) That’s just laughable. Funny, my experience with YouTube is the opposite. I'm Italian, but I've emigrated a decade ago. I've tried to purge my Google account of…

Have you checked what Accept-Language header you're sending? Eg on http://myhttpheader.com/

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#162

Post by IshKebab »

n4bz0r wrote: post #53

People here talking about how they don't want YouTube to make a profile of their preferences, and here I am, wishing YouTube had a better profile of my preferences. Lately, there is almost no new videos in my recommendation feed. It's mostly either the things I've already watched or new videos from the channels I'm already subscribed to. It really feels like I've exhausted the internet at some point. This can't possi…

Yeah I agree their recommendation algorithm needs some serious work. I have the same issues as you - especially that it keeps recommending videos again and again and I have clearly seen the thumbnail and not clicked it but it never gets the message unless you tediously manually hide the video.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#163

Post by techdragon »

kjkjadksj wrote: post #139
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a mass YouTube users probably spend more time on the site if they can't find what they want; I get the impression this sort of thing happens a lot online now, string users along so you can feed them ads from your customers. I assume that's why they made Google search results so bad, rather than send you straight where you want to go they drive you around the block to run the meter up.

Its backfiring for them in my case. Usually if I can’t find something easy within a few seconds, I decide its not worth the trouble to go on this research assignment of a search query and just close the tab. The little bit of trivia I wanted an answer for usually isn’t that important anyhow.

Netflix is managing to do this for me on AppleTV … it’s the one thing more annoying than the stupid YouTube app requiring an entire two extra button presses to switch accounts. Every god damn time I go to switch accounts I push the “select” button on the username in the username list, then remember “oh that’s right, fuck this stupid app” and click to the side and click the button again.

Every damn time… for years… every time. It’s that counterintuitive to my brain.

But as sand in the lettuce as that is. The Netflix app completely stubbornly refusing to give me a “mark as watched” and blatantly refusing to use the AppleTV SDK features to integrate with the “up next” and TV app… I’m getting pretty close to just cancelling the subscription, because I’m sick of having to go and specifically check Netflix… they are not that special I want to go out if my way, I’m sick of them being slow to load my list I’m sick of them not fitting into my relaxation time in a smooth seamless way and most of all I’m sick of having to waste time specifically opening their app, waiting for my list to load, being reminded which stuff from my big watch list is leaving soon, seeing there’s nothing I want to watch right now from my current partially completed tv show list and then leaving the app. Im just really annoyed by paying someone to waste my time… If they didn’t have just barely enough interesting stuff I’d have dumped them, but it’s just teetering in the balance.

Why the Netflix rant? Easy answer. I can see an exit potentially in the future. YouTube is shit and pisses me off but it’s basically a monopoly on hosting video content which means everyone else who makes interesting stuff uses it and unless I want to ignore the wonderful array of diverse and interesting and intelligent cont I have managed to find on there… I have no exit in sight for all the dumb shit google cancels I don’t see them cancelling YouTube.

Which is why I force myself to be more zen about its failings… This bread sure sucks but it sure beats starvation!

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#164

Post by jnsaff2 »

benplumley wrote: post #161
Nitrolo wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>For instance, my IP changes when I travel, but I’m an American who speaks English, and yet YouTube insists in showing me local ads in different languages when I’m in foreign countries, despite having my home address (verified with my credit card no less!!!) That’s just laughable. Funny, my experience with YouTube is the opposite. I'm Italian, but I've emigrated a decade ago. I've tried to purge my Google account of…

Have you checked what Accept-Language header you're sending? Eg on http://myhttpheader.com/

Mine is Firefox default "Accept-Language: en-US,en;q=0.5" yet google maps and search turned into French when I was in Luxembourg just for couple of days. Luckily they don't turn to ruscish any more when I'm in baltics.

My youtube ads are the same 2-3 casino/sports betting things over and over again. Tho I never have nor never will partake in any of those nor have I ever clicked on one, so it is just unbelievably stupid.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#165

Post by GoofballJones »

While I applaud this endeavor, I don't watch YouTube on a computer that much. It's mainly via my TV...either on streaming box like AppleTV or others. I have this nice big 4K, 65" TV that can show those 4K YouTube videos in all their glory from the comfort of my couch.

I've also carefully cultivated my YouTube watching habits that it shows exactly what I want to see. No toxic or political things get through. I watch positive, uplifting, informative channels and creators.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#166

Post by goodpoint »

schmichael wrote: post #61
lrvick wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If there was a pay to anonymously support Youtube creators directly with micropayments using only open source privacy respecting software like LBRY does, I would use it. Sadly YouTube has monopolized a lot of content, has mandatory tracking, and also censors and suppresses things and uses algorithms to put people in maximally profitable filter bubbles regardless of mental health. Ideally more creators will realize th…

You can pay for ad free YouTube by paying for YouTube Premium. No annoying micropayments. All the content with none of the ads. It does not satisfy your anonymous requirement but very little does. Most content creators appreciate (directly or indirectly) the features a non anonymous platform provides.

If you pay very little of the money go to the creators, while the centralization and monopoly on content grows. Plus, even more user tracking.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#167

Post by robertlagrant »

makeitdouble wrote: post #72
ramonezy wrote: post #25

I think as developers we have to be careful that we don't overstep logical boundaries. Youtube provides a free service that hosts immense volumes of video and creates an ecosystem allowing creators to earn a living. It's selfish to use the services of YouTube while removing their main source of revenue. If you have a problem with YouTube's tracking, simply don't use it

This arguments stands in a fully rational market with fair competition guaranteed by a controlling entity. Youtube doesn't have any competition at its scale, not using it isn't a rational choice. Even school assignments will have YouTube links to watch. I think we're at the point where your statement sounds like a "if you don't like the Standard Oil company just don't buy their oil" rehash.

A controlling entity would not guarantee fairness. Currently the way to compete is to stand up your own equivalent YouTube, possibly saving yourself a lot of money by using YouTube's open sourced codecs.

If there were a controlling entity you'd have to stand up your own equivalent YouTube, and a load of government people to wine and dine.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#168

Post by robertlagrant »

_carbyau_ wrote: post #30
ramonezy wrote: post #25

I think as developers we have to be careful that we don't overstep logical boundaries. Youtube provides a free service that hosts immense volumes of video and creates an ecosystem allowing creators to earn a living. It's selfish to use the services of YouTube while removing their main source of revenue. If you have a problem with YouTube's tracking, simply don't use it

The problem here is "network effect" leverage on society. When you choose not to use Youtube, you are choosing to not be a part of a large part of society. This is isolating. Whether that isolation matters to the individual in question is highly variable. You might be able to easily forego it. But a kid - ostensibly uninformed, not able to reason well enough and "not able to consent" - who's teacher sets an assignmen…

> When you choose not to use Youtube, you are choosing to not be a part of a large part of society

YouTube isn't a large part of society. People use it to watch silly/educational videos far more than as a social platform.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#169

Post by robertlagrant »

nonrandomstring wrote: post #68
ramonezy wrote: post #25

I think as developers we have to be careful that we don't overstep logical boundaries. Youtube provides a free service that hosts immense volumes of video and creates an ecosystem allowing creators to earn a living. It's selfish to use the services of YouTube while removing their main source of revenue. If you have a problem with YouTube's tracking, simply don't use it

> It's selfish to use the services of YouTube while removing their main source of revenue. The entire edifice of Capitalism, which we celebrate, is built on selfishness. And yet you use the word here as if it were a bad thing. I am confused :) > If you have a problem with YouTube's tracking, simply don't use it Why "simply" avoid a problem when with some effort you can improve it? In this case optimising the service…

There's a difference between people being able to make money based on them doing a good job, which is Adam Smith-style selfishness, and me wanting a Porsche, so taking one from someone, which is not.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#170

Post by benplumley »

jnsaff2 wrote: post #164
benplumley wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you checked what Accept-Language header you're sending? Eg on http://myhttpheader.com/

Mine is Firefox default "Accept-Language: en-US,en;q=0.5" yet google maps and search turned into French when I was in Luxembourg just for couple of days. Luckily they don't turn to ruscish any more when I'm in baltics. My youtube ads are the same 2-3 casino/sports betting things over and over again. Tho I never have nor never will partake in any of those nor have I ever clicked on one, so it is just unbelievably stup…

That's really weird then. I'm often in Thailand and Google's never tried to change my interface language, though it does keep suggesting videos in Thai.
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