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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
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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.

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[-] Drusas@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

As a Pixel user, I don't appear to have the option of uninstalling YouTube. Imagine that.

[-] Obez@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago

As a pixel user, you are able to install graphene OS!

[-] netchami@sh.itjust.works 0 points 1 year ago

Yeah, Graphene is the way to go.

[-] Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

You can install revanced and make it your default app for YouTube links

[-] EddieTee77@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

But you have a bloat free device..../s

[-] perishthethought@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

Just know, I can't uninstall it either. Instead I went into the Android settings, did Force Stop on the YT app, and then I was able to Disable it.

[-] Drusas@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks for the info. I'll do that.

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

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