I have an old Google account that I only use for one specific thing today: YouTube recommendations.
Their algorithm is actually decent. Which is not something I hear myself very often. And while it can be a trap, it does actually recommend me a fair bit of high quality content as long as I stay away from the obvious traps, make sure to block channels I don’t like, and use the feature “not interested” on videos that I don’t like.
However. I would like to only use my web feed client and no Google account at all, but I would then miss out on the recommended videos.
Is there some privacy respecting alternative to this that I’m not aware of?
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I know that’s not exactly what you’re looking for, but imo not getting recommendations from YouTube’s algorithm at all might be better. Why? From the Cambridge analytica scandal we have proof that these algorithms have the capability to manipulate people’s ideologies without their consent. I think your algorithm basically personalizes an indoctrination strategy. The idea is not new, it has been talked about in the famous book ‘Manufacturing consent’.
Let’s say, they don’t have a grand political plan behind their algorithm, but even then, the algorithm is just optimizing your feed for maximum engagement rather than intellectual nourishment. They just want you to watch more and more. And not spend much time to stop, think and reflect.
As for recommendations, you can get them organically from your close friends (they’d def be happy to send you a bunch lol) or from lemmy communities (like the documentaries ones)
smarttube fdroid has been working great for me
Maybe invidious or use freetube.
There is also grayjay, and while it works pretty fine I believe there where some controversies around the program even tho I don’t know the reason.
Doesn’t those work like Piped, that you get recommendations based on the current video your viewing?
I was talking about the general recommendations that you get based on what you watch over time. :)
I understand, in Grayjay that is working as far as I know. It shows me videos based on my previously watched content. So that should work.
Cool. I’ll check it out!
What types of videos do you watch?
Mostly content like Probably Riding, Jeff Geerling and Lance Hedrick.
