

They didn’t back then when I did what I did. It was only on Android.


I have, but the process still doesn’t seem rational.
You mean because I thought of the idea to filter out all the clickbait to render YouTube as not even worth going back to and you didn’t? So, you’re angry and still trying to shame me because I chose another way? Because I didn’t conform and go to GrayJay when back then, it was only available for Android?
I was using RSS feeds before GrayJay was even a thing in general. So, it’s completely irrelevant to me now.
Good on you for searching for a solution rather than embracing the opinion of r/youtube, but I will hold my position that picking a solution like GrayJay would have been a wiser move, with more eyes on the code to spot any hiccups from fetching content in the future and making sure security holes get patched.
And let me repeat this to you; GrayJay on desktop wasn’t a thing when I decided to do what I did. I had to do things my own way; even if it meant using AI to assist.
Your hobby script has no such niceties, and as such, will likely break after one of Youtube’s (frequent) updates, and if you placed a flaw in your system’s armor, it will be only a matter of luck that it’s not used against you in the future.
It’s a Java Script that consists of simple functions and if statements. And it’s only meant for Invidious instances. Chill the hell out.
If you keep preaching, maybe you should re-write it. But no. you’ll continue to shame someone, who sucks at coding (and never liked it to begin with) when they made a solution for themselves and were nice enough to share the damn idea.
Least I can say this; I got my independence back and am using RSS with strictly alternative platforms now. And you’re what? Swapping apps to deal with Google’s shenanigans on YouTube while still pretending that’s freedom? Please.


And I’m happy to be done with YouTube altogether. 🙂


I fail to see the risk. The scripts have been working great for months; and I no longer feel the need to even bother with going to search for anything through an Invidious instance anymore. Because it’s all hollow engagement when it comes to YouTube. I treat it more like a archive because of what I’ve done.
Least I did something rather than join the complainers on /r/youtube screaming about ads, low-quality content churned by an algorithm and age verification.
If anything, what I did has been freeing for my mind.
Think about that.


Great. But I curated my own stuff anyways; and that was a few years ago. I use RSS. That’s where I put in the work.
So, I’m good. I barely even have to open a web browser now.


It seems like you’re well intentioned (at least if your reasoning is genuine) in your creation of this… work, but it’s fair to say that you’re trying to solve this issue the wrong way.
Well, for me, it was the right way. You can keep scrolling on your smartphone if you want. No skin off my back.
There are already tools out there that have solved these problems that you were having and are both source-available (in the case of Newpipe, fully open source) and fully configurable for your needs. Prompt-generation of code will never reach the same levels as dedicated teams/communities that are out to produce the best clients they can, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel (Especially with an LLM, which are known for turning out very flawed and brittled wheels). If you are interested in contributing to those projects, you can submit requests for those projects to integrate (in fact, I believe the team behind GrayJay is hiring), but they will likely not accept generated code (because it is compromised code).
Okay. But I don’t care about GrayJay. Didn’t you read? I no longer use any smart devices; including a smartphone. And those apps don’t work on anything except Android.
Finally, I’m not sure why you’re posting machine-generated projects here on this particular community, as the negative societal, environmental, and privacy compromising aspects of LLMs and their product lines as a whole have soured the taste of the majority of users here. There are dedicated communities that embrace machine-generated content, but those are outliers, and often in unrelated communities, you’ll be seen as a peddler of disfunctional goods. This doesn’t reflect on your intentions, of course, but I’ve seen enough poorly-cobbled slop and bot activity reliant on LLMs to go “goddamit, not again” whenever I see a post mentioning them.
Whatever. 🙄
With bots and AI ruining the web, I hardly feel guilty for using AI to break free from a highly manipulative algorithm that Google employs on YouTube. Keeping in mind that those corporations pay top notch behavioral psychologists to exploit human tendencies.


I no longer use a smartphone; as I went back to a flip phone and a standard MP3 player. So, that app wouldn’t work for me anyways. 😅
And no, I am not an engineer. As I’ve said before to others, I had these scripts made out of self preservation for my sanity. So that I could escape the churn of the algorithm that pushed garbage content. It was a process for me.


Uses an LLM known for data harvesting and sale/exporting to create a “privacy script”
Why not? You scroll your life away on smartphone with various social media apps, I’m sure.
Code looks more wack than the shit I used to make as a freshman in a C++ intro class
And I am not a professional coder. You figured it out. Good for you.
Didn’t do enough research to realize that GrayJay/Newpipe exists and did this years ago
I no longer have a smartphone. Went back to a flip phone and a standard MP3 player. So, those apps you mentioned wouldn’t be of use to me.
I had these scripts made out of self preservation. To remove the manipulative aspect of a major platform (YouTube in this case); which is actually designed to ultimately strip people of their dignity, and monetize off their data and time.
Is that clear enough for you?
Posts this on a privacy-focused Lemmy community that’s not a fan of clanker work lmao
And that’s my problem? How?
I figured I’d be nice and share the idea. But I’m seeing that was a mistake.
Or, are you trying to deflect from the fact that you are addicted to doom scrolling?


Well, I’m not a professional coder. And there are comments in the code as far as what I specified.
I had these scripts made out of self preservation. To remove the manipulative aspect of a major platform (YouTube in this case); which is actually designed to ultimately strip people of their dignity, and monetize off their data and time.
Is that clear enough for you?
And I figured I’d be nice and share the idea. But I’m seeing that was a mistake.


Okay. Still not relevant to me. I see that as if they have no constructive response.


What’s there to read?


To… what? Avoid the fact that you are co-dependent on YouTube or something?
Your post is about minimalism which I have no interest in so I’m done with this thread. Best of luck.
Then stop responding and move on. Blocking now. Because like with most social media addicts today, they’ll keep on going into an endless circle jerk. I don’t have the energy for that. Ciao.
All good. And you’re welcome.
Yet, this only showcases how terrible the “normal” situation is.
People are conditioned. Some will even defend it as convenience. But it’s really just a cage so that you’ll keep scrolling. That is what big tech who own those mainstream platforms want; your time and data. Essentially, you are a free worker. A data mule to make money off of.
So, beyond the scope of privacy, this is also what I target in my setup. And let me tell you, going back to older styles of tech really helped with this; namely RSS, a flip phone and an MP3 player. Because when I’m out and about, I am present and aware. I’m not staring into a smartphone while waking down the street like most people in the city I live in.
Ha. Funny idea.
Spoiler? Right. I don’t use these sites often. That’s how disconnected I am. I don’t chat with people online much now.
I’ve made a rule with people I talk to in person; call me, or pick up the phone when I call. Or, I move on. I won’t do texting. And well, I can’t install any apps on my flip phone. So, that drives the message home to them.
Guess I wasn’t thinking of that since I don’t use any mobile device online anymore. But you can’t attach files here anyways. Can only do links.
I was using RSS feeds long before GrayJay was even a thing. And since it started out an Android only app, it wasn’t appealing anyways. Because I wasn’t about to watch videos on a phone. I’m a desktop user first and foremost.
I already had my own system of curated feeds. I just had these scripts made for Invidious instances to completely remove any dependency left of mine for YouTube.
Too little, too late.