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ylai ( ylai@lemmy.ml )  to Privacy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 3 years ago

Feds Ordered Google To Unmask Certain YouTube Users. Critics Say It’s ‘Terrifying.’

www.forbes.com

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Feds Ordered Google To Unmask Certain YouTube Users. Critics Say It’s ‘Terrifying.’

www.forbes.com

ylai ( ylai@lemmy.ml )  to Privacy@lemmy.mlEnglish · 3 years ago
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The federal government asked Google to turn over information on anyone who viewed multiple YouTube videos. Privacy experts say the orders are unconstitutional.
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  • Manmoth ( Manmoth@lemmy.ml ) Banned
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    3 years ago

    I don’t know why anyone is using youtube directly when they can use Newpipe or Freetube. No ads, sponsorblock and even the ability to automatically skip intros, recaps etc On top of that no google account tracking or algorithms.

    Edit: Adding “libretube” as well based on some of the replies to this comment.

    • freebread ( freebread@lemm.ee ) 
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      I would love to but I mainly watch YouTube and other video content on my living room TV. That’s probably a barrier for a lot of us.

      • N4CHEM ( N4CHEM@lemmy.ml ) 
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        If you have some kind of Android TV device you can probably install SmartTube to have no ads and sponsorblock: https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTubeNext

        • Refurbished Refurbisher ( refurbishedrefurbisher@lemmy.sdf.org ) 
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          Or Playlet on Roku.

      • Manmoth ( Manmoth@lemmy.ml ) Banned
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        I use Newpipe on an Nvidia shield in my living room.

    • progettarsi ( progettarsi@feddit.it ) 
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      3 years ago

      no suggestions, horrible ui and ux

      • Manmoth ( Manmoth@lemmy.ml ) Banned
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        3 years ago

        Try libretube. It’s more UX-y. I personally like the simplicity of Newpipe but I can get why it’s not for everyone.

        • progettarsi ( progettarsi@feddit.it ) 
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          and for suggestions? i want an homepage that welcomes me when i open the app, that says you could watch this or that, continue watching this or maybe u would like this other one

          • Manmoth ( Manmoth@lemmy.ml ) Banned
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            3 years ago

            I think libretube has that.

            • progettarsi ( progettarsi@feddit.it ) 
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              3 years ago

              last time i checked it didn’t have that

    • JackGreenEarth ( JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee ) 
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      Either because they’ve never heard of it, they think it’s difficult to set up, or they think it’s less polished or reliable.

      • onlinepersona ( onlinepersona@programming.dev ) 
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        I’d go with “because they’ve never heard of it”. It’s no more difficult to setup than any other application. See the download page.

        CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

        • JackGreenEarth ( JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee ) 
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          Oh, it’s not, they just think it is. I have personal experience of this.

          • onlinepersona ( onlinepersona@programming.dev ) 
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            Are you saying it’s not easy to install? If so, what’s the difficulty?

            CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

            • JackGreenEarth ( JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee ) 
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              I’m saying it is easy to install, but people think it isn’t.

              • onlinepersona ( onlinepersona@programming.dev ) 
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                Ah, gotcha. Yeah, not sure what can be done to improve that. Installation methods are only a click away 🤷

                CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

  • LWD ( LWD@lemm.ee ) 
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    deleted by creator

    • Nik282000 ( nik282000@lemmy.ca ) 
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      3 years ago

      As soon as Google bought YouTube they knew who the users were and everything they did online. This was never not true. Their business is to log all the activity of all internet users, not to make them safe or happy, there is nothing broken in their platform as far as they are concerned.

  • eveninghere ( eveninghere@beehaw.org ) 
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    viewers of select YouTube videos

    So, now a policeman who doesn’t like whoever YT user can unseal who that is… For a far-right policeman that can be anybody whose comment looks “woke”.

    I think I shouldn’t use YT anymore. Actually, any SNS that uses my email…

    Edit: they collected user identities on who watched videos on fucking “drones”.

    • Synnr ( Synnr@sopuli.xyz ) 
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      3 years ago

      You know that ?si= at the end of the YouTube URL that is copied when you share a video from within the YouTube app?

      That’s an individual tracking ID specific to you. So if you’ve ever shared a YouTube video on lemmy, reddit, Facebook, tiktok, or anywhere else without removing that code one time, anyone at Google with access to the ID system can now link you to that account with your real name, IP address and time accessed, device name, etc.

      • JohnnyEnzyme ( JohnnyEnzyme@lemm.ee ) 
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        3 years ago

        While I see that x10,000 with google links, I don’t recall I’ve ever seen it for YT videos.

        As a google user, what… what am I doing wrong? 😕

        • Synnr ( Synnr@sopuli.xyz ) 
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          As a google user, what… what am I doing wrong right?

          Using a browser instead of the YouTube app?

          Unless you’re talking about Google links then yes. Amazon too, along with many other services. There’s a ClearURLs Firefox add-on to remove them automatically.

          But it’s insidious with YouTube because people are much more likely to share YouTube videos on a public forum, and they just randomly started doing it one day.

          • JohnnyEnzyme ( JohnnyEnzyme@lemm.ee ) 
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            Using a browser instead of the YouTube app?

            Bingo. I’m using Chrome app on WinX desktop. (and yes, I’m a total idiot who’s taken too long to switch over to FF & linux)

            Amazon too, along with many other services. There’s a ClearURLs Firefox add-on to remove them automatically.

            Cool. Myself, I just manually clear that tracking rubbish in the URL field, but I get that such is way easier on desktop browser.

            You’re using Google, that’s about as wrong as it gets in the privacy space.

            And I’m also using Gmail! :S
            So just for gits & shiggles-- how badly would you say I might be hurt by my foolishness, at this rate?

            @nebula224@mastodon.social

            Btw, Nebula-- are you able to federate back and forth with Mastodon & Lemmy as a single stream? I’d love to see that.

    • Nik282000 ( nik282000@lemmy.ca ) 
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      You expect a cop to understand both the threat and entertainment value of a Defcon talk?

    • dislocate_expansion ( dislocate_expansion@reddthat.com ) 
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      deleted by creator

      • eveninghere ( eveninghere@beehaw.org ) 
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        I think it’s unrealistic for now.

        Peertube works for organizations like Blender because they completely retain the copyright. Other than that, video hosting is too expensive and gains little audience in the first place.

  • delirious_owl ( delirious_owl@discuss.online ) 
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    Fortunately you can use YouTube without an account

    Even better, use an alternative frontend

  • Uriel238 [all pronouns] ( uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone ) 
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    No one should fear a knock at the door from police simply because of what the YouTube algorithm serves up

    No one should fear a no-knock warrant from a SWAT team because of what the YouTube algorithm serves up.

    FIFY.

    Most police departments don’t bother with doorknocking anymore.

  • MonsiuerPatEBrown ( MonsiuerPatEBrown@reddthat.com ) 
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    deleted by creator

    • MachineFab812 ( MachineFab812@discuss.tchncs.de ) 
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      Honestly, I would trust damn near any rogue AI more than the humans any of these companies will hire any more. The more it wants to kill us as opposed to torturing us or milking us for money, the better, although I woudd prefer it not also hate nature … but that’s optional next to what we have now.

  • Zerush ( Zerush@lemmy.ml ) 
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    There are tons of front-ends and desktop clients out there, even watch YT sandboxed in Andisearch is an option.

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A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

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