I am so tired of being part of the YT algo. Is there a somewhat decent alternative to youtube? I already have Nebula but that doesn’t give me my news and show talking head fix
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Technical platforms? Yes.
Content platforms? No.
Just want to add in terms of all the suggestions: remember that alternative can also mean “in addition to” as well as “instead of.” people wanting instead-ofs will run away from alternatives quicker, which radically hinders the “build it and they will come” momentum that these sites need to better alternatives in the long run
Very good point. Many of these alternatives with less traffic are much better if one doesn’t see them as 100% replacements.
I gave up on the algorithm years ago and only use the subscription feed now.
Honorable mention for https://odysee.com/ I still use YT but I also like Odysee. And I use Freetube on my Linux laptop for YT, works great! Edit: format
There are many ways around the YouTube algo. Look into LibRedirect , Invidious, NewPipe, and subscribing to channels using an on device RSS reader. Also look into yt-dlp if you’re savvy enough to use a command prompt/terminal.
Alternatives all have their drawbacks. Nebula is the best IMO, but there are some gate keeping sort of practices going on over there regarding how creators are chosen to be platformed there.
Floatplane is good for gamers and techies but ultimately supports the guys over at Linus Tech Tips, who have a bad reputation for their history of misogyny and grifting their audiences in various ways.
Rumble is a conservative cesspool for people too hateful for the YouTube platform.
And Peertube is the Federated alternative that has a lot of potential but nearly no traction and thusly there’s not a whole lot of content.
Ultimately, I still watch YouTube (albeit less and less these days), via the platforms mentioned above like Invidious and Newpipe, using yt-dlp.
I do hope Peertube and the fediverse continues to grow. These platforms on the Fediverse are the last bastion of a decent internet imho.
EDIT: grammar.
I mean for yt-dlp you just need to know how to open the terminal in a specific folder and copy paste the link into it.
There’s also the Seal for Android and Parabolic for Linux graphical frontends
Completely forgot about Seal.
Yeah I use Seal when NewPipe is having issues, and there are graphical front ends for
yt-dlpfor desktop, I’m just not familiar with most of them.Thanks for mentioning that. Hopefully someone finds it helpful.
Yeah, but for some people that’s too much.
Invidious.
That’s not an alternative. It’s just another frontend.edit: didn’t see the youtube algo part. Mb
https://www.youtube.com/feed/subscriptions is my Youtube bookmark. It’s just who I’m subscribed to. That’s it.
I just wanted to mention, because apparently only ~7% of us exist who use the Subscriptions feed, according to various Youtubers showing off their stats pages.
Thanks for the reminder, I really must change my bookmarks to this, such a simple change.
Not viable for the mobile app of course, but even having the browser sorted would be a start.
Its impossible for me to subscribe to a youtuber because I don’t have (and don’t want) a Youtube account. I understand Youtubers get more visibility with more subscriptions, but I just don’t want to be part of the algorithm. I can close my private browser, and any algorithm infection is wiped clean from my view.
RSS.
And all other piped/invidious instances. You can sub locally, and everything is stored as a cookie in your browser (afaik).
Depending on your setup, YouTube will still fingerprint your browser and track your behavior, as is common practice with ad networks.
Your cookies and data might be cleared but as long as yt has any way to generate a unique identifier out of your browser preferences, it will identify you and start looking at your behavior / figuring out an algorithm.
Just fyi.
Sure, it can start building it again just with what I search to watch. Then I get to close the browser again and wipe it clean again. I know that fingerprinting exists, but I’m not seeing its behavior for video suggestions. In fact, I do see tracking by IP because I’ll get suggested things I know my wife is looking at (and we’re coming from the same IP). Even those are few and far between though.
I’ve thoroughly tested this and after a browser clear, I see literally zero recommendations that match my browsing habits. And this was tested without a vpn, so same IP. I’ve tested it on default chrome/edge. Also on tweaked firefox/librewolf, and on the YouTube app for LG webos. So yea, this is false. Idk why you’re seeing stuff your wife watches. Are you logged in with an account? If not then you’re not actually clearing the browser like you think you are. Unless you’re somehow more fingerprintable than me, just based on IP. But idk why that would be the case.
So yea, this is false.
I’m not sure how you can speak with such authority when your sample size is so small. I believe you that you didn’t experience this in any of your tests. However, your tests are far from exhaustive.
Idk why you’re seeing stuff your wife watches.
I’m not saying I’m getting a screen full of suggestions of only things she likes, but I also don’t believe it is simply coincidence I get occasional suggested video guides on using the exact brand of makeup she likes.
Are you logged in with an account?
Never have and never will.
Well all I can say is i tested it every single way i know how. Also just tested on mobile, both iphone and android. Same result. So idk what you want from me? I don’t think it’s far fetched to assume that your wife likely uses a pretty popular brand of makeup. You’re probably not getting carryover ads. Just coincidence. Makeup videos seem like a pretty standard default youtube suggestion.
I would strongly recommend using a VPN and changing servers regularly in that case.
I don’t think this is true. Every time i reset the app on my tv, i see zero recommends that would fit my browsing history. Also I’ve tested it on 3 browsers (including default Chrome and edge) after clearing everything and it is default. Nothing i see recommended fits my history. So yea, no, this is not true. I’m sure they try to fingerprint but it doesn’t seem to work well or it’s just not sophisticated enough to track it through a browser/app clear. I’m not even using a VPN when i tested this.
because I don’t have (and don’t want) a Youtube account.
Every channel has an RSS feed. I use that instead.
You can download newpipe and subscribe there. It makes a local subscription, no account needed. Also no ads.
That’s fine, I’m not tempted by the sidebars to partake in the algo at all because I’ve removed them with extensions. Without an account, yeah then I’d be using NewPipe and whatever desktop equivalents are surely out there.
Wait, what do the other 93% do?
Homepage. That’s where those complaints that people never see a youtuber’s videos “anymore” comes from.
No. Though I think it’s important to separate video serving Youtube and recommendations/algorithm YouTube. We need FOSS solutions to both and neither will be easy.
I absolutely agree! I just want something akin to the YT experience
It’s still not as popular but it’s making headway with makers.
Or if you want to stay on YouTube itself others have added clients that don’t have algorithms.
They need to fix their instance list with filters. Wasn’t a fan of having to scroll through pages <20 user instances with closed registration.
Yes!
If you have a Linux OS on a PC then Freetube is a terrific desktop app.
You can import your subscriptions from YT there.
If it’s only ads that you hate then Revanced mobile app is the way. Unless you are on iPhone - then it won’t work. It’s Android only.
Not just Linux: https://freetubeapp.io/#download
On Android, check out NewPipe
you can disable YouTube history
Inside newpipe. No feed or homepage (as long as you set it to that), just a list of the channels I’ve subscribed to. I just manually go through them if I’m looking for something to watch.
Piped.video is an option directly in the browser. Or Invidious.
On mobile (android) I’ve seen NewPipe as an option
PipePipe is still yt but its only a subscription feed and integrates perfectly with other services like peertube
I have seen others say that youtube channels have their own RSS feeds. Could plug each YouTube channel you want to follow into an RSS app of your choice. Not ideal, but should avoid algorithms
