YouTube forcing users to enable 'Watch history' to show video recommendations

Several YouTube users report that the platform is forcing them to enable the 'Watch history' option to show video recommendations.

10 comments

Google constantly does this unethical bundling of features with privacy switches. I remember when I used to use Android that turning off Location History meant you couldn't save your home and work address on Google Maps.
- Wow what does that even have to do with anything it’s a pin at a set of coordinates. God they’ve become the embodiment of evil in just 20 years. Amazing 🙃
To be honest, I don't understand the fuss. Of course, YouTube needs a history to make suggestions. How else? I thought that was a prerequisite anyway.
This sounds great. Looks like I won't be using video recommendations
Anyone that's not utilizing the algo should switch to a privacy focused frontend anyway.
- Like what, for example?
  
  I can't personally recommend one because I haven't tried any, but I've seen Piped and NewPipe mentioned.
They keep deleting videos from my watch history my opinion is they seem to just want to keep throwing things you have already watched into your recommendations and a lot come back without the red bar.

10 comments