Youtube let the other shoe drop in their end-stage enshittification this week. Last month, they required you to turn on Youtube History to view the feed of youtube videos recommendations. That seems reasonable, so I did it. But I delete my history every 1 week instead of every 3 months. So they don’t get much from my choices. It still did a pretty good job of showing me stuff I was interested in watching.

Then on Oct 1, they threw up a “You’re using an Ad Blocker” overlay on videos. I’d use my trusty Overlay Remover plugin to remove the annoying javascript graphic and watch what I wanted. I didn’t have to click the X to dismiss the obnoxious page.

Last week, they started placing a timer with the X so you had to wait 5 seconds for the X to appear so you could dismiss blocking graphic.

Today, there was a new graphic. It allowed you to view three videos before you had to turn off your Ad Blocker. I viewed a video 3 times just to see what happens.

Now all I see is this.

Google has out and out made it a violation of their ToS to have an ad blocker to view Youtube. Or you can pay them $$$.

I ban such sites from my systems by replacing their DNS name in my hosts file routed to 127.0.0.1 which means I can’t view the site. I have quite a few banned sites now.

  • db2@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    7·
    2 years ago

    But I delete my history every 1 week instead of every 3 months. So they don’t get much from my choices.

    Implying that deleting them from your view actually deleted them.

        • luciferofastora@lemmy.zipEnglish
          0·
          2 years ago

          How can my workplace admin block Pornhub even when I’m using private mode? He shouldn’t even be allowed to see what I do privately!

          • Kushan@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 years ago

            I mean, this is mostly borne from a fundamental misunderstanding of what “Private Browsing” mode is and was meant to be.

            When you open an incognito tab on Chrome, it literally says “Now you can browse privately, and other people who use this device won’t see your activity.”

            It also says

            Your activity might still be visible to:

            • Websites that you visit
            • Your employer or school
            • Your Internet service provider

            Fuck using Chrome and I’m not defending Google at all here, but they never once claimed Incognito was anything more than it was.

            • luciferofastora@lemmy.zipEnglish
              1·
              1 year ago

              Pretty sure Firefox says that too. Users just don’t read. Like, ever. They’ll get an error message saying “Important!” and click whatever button seems most likely to make it go away before calling support and demanding they “fix the computer”.

    • caesar_salad83@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      doesn’t even matter. what matters is the meta data. if the data from the list say you like science videos with emphasis on electrical engineering, star wars podcasts and mmorpg let’s plays - does that data go away apon history deletion. what about meta-meta data. if the meta data puts you on group X that receive content Y, does that go away apon history deletion. and what kind of integration does that get with the rest of the google knowledge about you…

  • BReel@lemmy.oneEnglish
    2·
    2 years ago

    “You can go ad free with YouTube premium!”

    Buys premium

    youtube shows ad for paramount plus under my video

    Cancels YouTube premium.

    So anywho there’s a thing called freetube. Just saying. Idk that it’s a perfect alternative, but it’s at least one step further from googles prying eyes and grubby hands.

    • atetulo@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      Dang. You actually bought premium instead of installing an adblocker?

      • BReel@lemmy.oneEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        I didn’t wanna maintain an ad blocker, especially since I use youtube on a bunch of diff devices. Desktop/laptop/Ps4/Tv/Ipad/Phone like, everywhere. Premium just meant no ads on any of them with no fuss or maintenance.

        Also the bonus of downloads/music/background play etc was very nice.

        Honestly for someone like me who uses youtube as much as I do, it was 100% worth the money. I just ethically can’t bring myself to pay for it now that they straight up lied and took my money without even trying to be subtle about it.

    • stardust@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      2 years ago

      It really is quite something seeing people so concerned on behalf Google’s revenue streams, and dedicating such passionate advocacy for them.

    • atetulo@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Greed, by definition, has no limits.

      What happens when they block adblockers? Do you think they’re just going to stop there? Or will they go from 3 ads every 10 minute to 4 ads every 10 minutes?

      Greed, by definition, has no limits.

      The solution to the problem is to have higher standards. But people with low standards get mad whenever that’s pointed out.

      They’re useful idiots for a reason.

  • lath@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    uBlock Origin is quite apt in not showing any of that. I am thankful for the creator’s attentiveness.

  • Xero@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I just got this popup today too, but only in Brave, it doesn’t show up in Firefox and LibreWolf at all and I use uBlock Origin for all of them. Looks like it’s just a Chromium thing. I mainly use Firefox anyway, I only use Brave as a music player at work because I have too many FF tabs opened in 3 windows already.

  • Rolder@reddthat.comEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Odd, I have uBlock Origin and it’s blocking the ads without any pop ups or angry messages

  • hunt4peas@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    PC: Install Firefox. Then install these extensions: Sponsorblock for YouTube, Enhancer for YouTube, uBlock Origins with all the filters turned on except the language filters (you can use them if you wish) and Return YouTube Dislike. Keep uBlock Filters updated by checking for filter updates once a day.

    Android: There’s Revanced. I use pre-built apks along with Vanced MicroG from RVX Lite in Telegram.

    Android TV: Install SmartTubeNext.

    Enjoy.

  • Duchess of Waves@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    Just to let you know, if you use uBlock you can expect it to adapt to this new shenanigan pretty quickly. Also I think €120/year are ridiciously overpriced. Ask me about €30/year and I might consider it for a second.

    To be honest, I wouldn’t mind ads on Youtube if they were less per hour and less obnoxious. But no, every 12 second video now has an ad leading to it.

    Not to mention, if I would pay for every single Video service the usual 8-15€ I would pay like €1000 per year and THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

    Give me “pretty much everything” for €100 per year and we can talk. My offer stands.