My smart tube app wasn't working tonight so watched YouTube on the normal app. I can't believe people live like this, it's actually unwatchable.
this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
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yeah. I will go to look something up that I need or want to watch, but I'm often bailing halfway through that advertisement. it's not even worth my time
Seriously bro! I got revanced on my phone and smart tube next on the tv. I legit had to think about the last time I used the official app and it was nothing but angry memories. Waking up in the middle of a, and I'm not making this up, hour plus long ad! Always auto playing some ai slop bullshit about some murder or something slightly cosmological.
I was jarred by an ad playing during LOTR on HBO just now.
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What are 'ads'? 🤷🏼
I dunno. Some strange relic from the 1980s?
Kidding aside, it's shocking how bad raw YT is. We watch it via Smartube (or PipePipe as needed). I can't believe people watch "raw" youtube...it's unwatchable.
If they ever quash SmartTube and PipePipe...well..I imagine Peertube, Nebula, Libby and Curiosity stream will suddenly become a great deal more popular.
I don't think the powers that be fully grasp the (very delicate) knife edge they walk. They only stay in business so long as they aren't annoying enough to be replaced. Actually, who am I kidding - they know that exactly and play the delicate "gently gently" boil frogs in a pot game like grandmasters.
The ads seem to be pretty variable depending on usage so I suspect not everyone is seeing the same thing. I rarely use YouTube in any form. When I do and I'm rawdogging it for whatever reason, it seems like I get a few short ads, like 30s or less. They're annoying but not awful.
A friend keeps YouTube running constantly on his TV in the background while he works. He gets so many ads and they're so long! Like several minutes of ads, mostly unskippable, over the course of a 15 minute video. I don't know how people deal with that shit.
Man, they must LOVE people like him!
Surely, he must know he's actively contributing to the issue. No?
I would be shocked if he cared. It's just not amongst his concerns.
What's the end game with YouTube? Will it eventually cut all videos and show nothing but ads?
The ironic part is that there was a time where I'd watch hours long compilation videos of funny ads, and even now I watch 90s nostalgia ones set to vaporwave mixes. Hell, every person and their grandmother I knew at one time watched the Superbowl "just for the ads".
At some point, the goal of marketing shifted from "How do we keep your attention/whimsy" to "How can we force unwilling participants to comply?" Fuck that fascismo shit.
That's always been the goal of marketing.
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Dam ads exist ? Been on YouTube Revanced for 5 years now 😂😂🖕🖕 fuck you google.
I'd very much suggest everyone try YouTube Revanced.
Though android is likely going to crack down on them before the end of the year, so new users should switch to a degoogled or open source phone OS.
Or download the videos using ytdlp, and use a cable to transfer them to your phone like it's 2012.
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Good thing YouTube itself is skippable.
Gen X made 90 minute cassette recordings of their favorite music. Back then you could lower the volume to ignore ads and wait for the DJ to trigger your recording. Today I just use the mute on the remote and have my other device handy to watch some other content while waiting for show to come back to the main content. It’s always good to have a mantra about adverting by associating it in your head as indoctrination “Poison” which is what it is essentially.
WATCH THE ADS OR IT'S PIRACY!
Thanks, Google. I was trying to cut down my usage of YouTube.
What are the best Fedi alternatives?
When I checked the Fedi alternatives were far-right hangouts. Part of that unfortunate "free speech absolutist" == "asshole" phase.
It's not Fediverse but I like Nebula. It's more like a co-op so I don't mind paying for it at all.
Not fediverse, but Nebula is good
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We've got a business model that didn't even exist 25 years ago, and we're making insane money!
How can we fuck it up?
You just gotta love the headline in the article, it's trying to sell it as a great new feature
VRC Non-Skip ads are now generally available, allowing brands to reach TV audiences with Google AI.
It is for their target audience. They're not talking to you, they're talking to their customers.
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Grayjay, feetube, Smartube, Newpipe etc etc...
It's all fine and fun until Google prevents people from installing third party APKs in a few months...
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Unpopular opinion but youtube + music is good value.
But my journey here was unique.
I grew up during the era when ipods / mp3 players incentivized having personal libraries of music files. After itunes became hostile towards that I switched to Google Music which allowed you to upload music files and stream them to your devices. It was great because I had some obscure remixes and indy band albums that I'd lost the CD for years ago.Ended up paying for Google Music after a 3 month trial.
Eventually Google Music became Youtube Music and with it came Youtube Premium. Tried Spotify but it didn't have some artists that I can't remember now anyways. So I just kept paying for youtube music and not seeing ads on youtube.
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Fuck Reddit and Fuck Spez.
Am I bad because I pay for YouTube? I watch it so so much on different devices and also use YouTube music instead of Spotify. The paid teir hasn't undergone enshittification yet (it always does). Thats when ill stop.
I'm long past the point of even considering paying Google a dime for other people's content.
I'm getting sick of titles like these "... this changes everything...", "scientists are mystified", "...nobody knew...", or some ridicoulus question as title. Majority of creators are hinting lately that yt "suggests" how to title and organize the topic for maximum visibility and monetization. In effect mandating their enshittification features.
Nvm, the moment NewPipe stops being able to play a video in a normay way is the end of yt for me. Just like I left reddit for lemmy.
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Yeah you're literally part of the problem lol
You're actively funding enshittification, at least the rest of us are innocent
Nah, nothing wrong with that. The problem isn't users, it's what the company expects from users.
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