Oh, do you want my viewing experience to be worse? Well don't worry, because I'm doing my best so PeerTube has quality content in a weekly basis, while you also have the same content in a monthly basis.
I haven't been to youtube.com or opened the app in ages. I switched to FreeTube and haven't looked back. That'll last until they restrict API access, anyway.
Funny, they're actively making it worse any time I try to lower my shields too. They've changed, very recently, from a video hosting platform with ads, to an advertising platform with some minor videos in between.
For iOS users, Firefox Focus still seems unfazed by all of this. Sent a playlist to it from PocketTube today and I didn’t see an ad through several videos, with no delays.
My iOS solution is uninstalling YouTube so the links will open in a default browser instead, setting the default to Firefox Focus, and installing PocketTube, where you have to be logged into YT so it downloads your subscriptions and latest videos. Use it to organize your subscriptions into group playlists, then hit a button in the corner while viewing a list for it to forward the list to FF Focus. The only gripe I have about it is that every time a new video from the playlist loads, you have to toggle fullscreen on again because it’s effectively opening a new page in FF Focus. You can also watch videos directly in PocketTube by tapping an individual video, and also seems to skip ads, but you don’t have subtitles that way.
Afaik this works by itself, but I also have the $1.99 Vinegar extension for Safari installed which may or not contribute to the ad blocking. I’d try it without first to see what happens.
edit: This is also my solution on Android, except I have PocketTube open the list in YT Revanced, where optionally I can cast the list to SmartTube on my FireTV including SponsorBlocks. The only place I’m logged in is PocketTube.
Good to know as a backup. I kinda like having FFF as the default. It’s the only browser I’ve tried on iOS that passes a few security checks as strong protection and doesn’t remember anything when you hit the clear button.
You're only a customer if you pay them. If you don't, then you're the product, and they can't sell your eyeballs to advertisers if you block their ads.
When it comes to Google, even if you pay them you are still the product, YouTube Premium might stop the ads on YouTube but it doesn't stop the data collection for other Google products and partners.
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