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FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

freetubeapp.io

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Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#221

Post by ParetoOptimal »

shepherdjerred wrote: post #149
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

I would've made this same argument a year ago. Today I think it's morally acceptable to circumvent tracking, advertising, etc. for behemoths like YouTube, Google, etc. They are simply too powerful, and have too much mindshare. There's nothing close to YouTube in terms of ubiquity. I don't have any sympathy for a monopoly, and I hope that YouTube's days are numbered so that a more open alternative like PeerTube can ta…

> My only real concern is channel owners. I want them to be able to be reasonably compensated for their work today.

I wonder if it's possible to spoof viewing of the ads for the sake of channel owners without reducing privacy or being dusturbed by ads...

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#222

Post by MR4D »

jsjohnst wrote: post #212
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 I have no direct access to confirm this, but I have a theory as to why it happens. It’s a combination of greed and various ad buying semi-broken options. 1. Google shows ads which earn them the most money. “Relevance” only plays out i…

I think you nailed it - especially your 4th point: "If it was about real relevancy to you and not “who will pay the most given this bucket of basic attributes”, folks like me would probably hate advertising less."

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#223

Post by politician »

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…

YouTube doesn’t do recommendations very well. Instead, it’s more like a shallow decision tree. To do a soft reset, clear your watch and search history. If you want to end up in the same place as before, choose 1-3 videos from the same creators and then YouTube will fill your feed with the rest of the creators from your previous history automatically.

If you accidentally clear your history while on a remote WiFi network, and want to restore your old decisions, then connect to your usual WiFi network and videos will be heavily weighted towards your original recommendations.

YouTube recommendations are not very deep and appear to use IP address as a significant feature regardless of whether you’ve cleared your history.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#224

Post by soheil »

Operative0198 wrote: post #136
soheil wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do apps minimize distraction? YT is a major source of distraction whether you wrap it in a shell app or not.

Well, for starters an app is not yet another open tab in your periphery screaming for you to check it out.

No because it's yet another open app.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#225

Post by soheil »

lrvick wrote: post #180
soheil wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like an extension that could proxy traffic by website would solve your problem? I don't know why you can't create a google account just for yt so your subscriptions are contained to the firefox yt container.

YouTube would still need my credit card details to disable ads, thus uniquely identifying all my viewing habits to me so they can adjust my feed and recommendations to the liking of their partners. Also I do not use proprietary operating systems so I would be stuck using a webapp on my TV which is pretty awful UX. Hard pass. YouTube forces users to choose between privacy and supporting creators. I will not give up pr…

Are you sure you can't just use adblock in a firefox container?

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#226

Post by democra »

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

Plausible deniability. People will use any excuse to free themselves from accountability.

Privacy, adverts, morality, monopoly and all the hand waving is just for show. They are valid concerns but you'll hear a lot of it as a veil for "me want free stuff".

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#228

Post by btbuildem »

MR4D wrote: post #59
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…

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…

I think the mistake here is that google is making recommendations for the users. Google is making recommendations for google, to drive the users' attention to what benefits it most.

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#229

Post by as168 »

andsoitis wrote: post #215
jsjohnst wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Where do I opt-in for more tracking? Sadly, broken fallacy. More tracking wouldn’t lead to better recommendations. I already wrote a reply to a child comment, but wanted to say same applies here. YouTube isn’t about “showing you videos endlessly”, it’s about “endlessly monetizing you watching videos”. The recommendations are geared around them primarily making more money, not around your enjoyment (which is a dista…

Building on your logic… if they want to make more money, wouldn’t they then be incentivized to get you to stay with YouTube by giving you something better to watch than the competition? Or better and better videos so you prolong your current session?

There isn't really competition... there is enough monopoly here to disregard user experience to some extent. Rational firm will maximize profits so it can be assumed what they're doing here conforms to that

Re: FreeTube – A Private YouTube Client

#230

Post by knife1nhead »

GoofballJones wrote: post #165

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 p…

https://smartyoutubetv.github.io/
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