241
Smartest thing I've done this month: Disable the YouTube app (lemm.ee)
submitted 1 year ago by perishthethought@lemm.ee to c/android@lemmy.world
132 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'm using a stock Samsung Galaxy 8 phone right now (with Android 10) and I disabled the YouTube app. I was basically sick of its s***. Since then, I never sign in to the app/site, and so may aspects of using the site are much better now.

  • Everything is faster, since they don't know me / aren't tracking as much.
  • I always open YT in Firefox Focus, which doesn't ever keep cookies or history each time I close it, so there's no history for YT to mine each time I visit again.
  • I'm pretty sure I see fewer ads since I don't have a deep history for YT to mine / target.
  • More random suggestions from YT means I am mostly broken out of the bubble caused by their tracking. I find new, interesting music, for instance, now, from the suggestions.
  • Hitting "back" in the browser means I go back wherever I was before, not to the YT home page (like the app used to do to me)

I still visit the site often, and appreciate all the good music and channels I watch, but now it's overall a much more positive experience, more like YT was a few years ago versus the horrible mess it's become recently.

I'd still appreciate any other tips anyone has for making YT visits even more enjoyable.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] merthyr1831@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago

Firefox for android supports uBlock which blocks all youtube add btw. I've been using the website as my YouTube client for nearly a year now

[-] mightyfoolish@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

A Firefox install without uBlock is half baked. Also, Firefox Preview let's you use any addon, including Sponserblock.

[-] merthyr1831@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

any addon? like ones usually only on PC? 🥺

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

My Firefox for Android crashes about every 3rd time I open a YouTube video full screen. It finally got so bad that I installed Newpipe.

[-] merthyr1831@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I've had some weirdness with youtube in the past too. For a few weeks firefox would refuse to go into landscape when i opened videos in fullscreen. Kinda cursed

[-] Anticorp@lemmy.ml -1 points 1 year ago

I think Google intentionally breaks it on Firefox, but it's just a suspicion, I don't have any proof.

[-] Usul_00_@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Doesn't have to be malicious. Most likely just don't test on it, or at least not a lot.

[-] snugglesthefalse@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah it doesn't work in my browser but I just use revanced if I want to do YouTube

this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
241 points (88.0% liked)

Android

27929 readers
26 users here now

DROID DOES

Welcome to the droidymcdroidface-iest, Lemmyest (Lemmiest), test, bestest, phoniest, pluckiest, snarkiest, and spiciest Android community on Lemmy (Do not respond)! Here you can participate in amazing discussions and events relating to all things Android.

The rules for posting and commenting, besides the rules defined here for lemmy.world, are as follows:

Rules

1. All posts must be relevant to Android devices/operating system.

2. Posts cannot be illegal or NSFW material.

3. No spam, self promotion, or upvote farming. Sources engaging in these behavior will be added to the Blacklist.

4. Non-whitelisted bots will be banned.

5. Engage respectfully: Harassment, flamebaiting, bad faith engagement, or agenda posting will result in your posts being removed. Excessive violations will result in temporary or permanent ban, depending on severity.

6. Memes are not allowed to be posts, but are allowed in the comments.

7. Posts from clickbait sources are heavily discouraged. Please de-clickbait titles if it needs to be submitted.

8. Submission statements of any length composed of your own thoughts inside the post text field are mandatory for any microblog posts, and are optional but recommended for article/image/video posts.

Community Resources:

We are Android girls*,

In our Lemmy.world.

The back is plastic,

It's fantastic.

*Well, not just girls: people of all gender identities are welcomed here.

Our Partner Communities:

!android@lemmy.ml

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
MargotRobbie@lemmy.world
Rooki@lemmy.world
Thekingoflorda@lemmy.world
L3s@lemmy.world
_MoveSwiftly@lemmy.world