r/technology • u/moeka_8962 • Jan 25 '25

Social Media Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Update: Statement)

https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/
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u/t014y Jan 25 '25

I would pay for Google as a service of it meant they didn't sell my data, at all, and didn't serve me ads. Idk if it's true or not, but I've heard that each person is worth about $10 per year, so if i paid $10 per month, they're making 12x the money. I pay about $10 for Proton, so realistically, I'd probably be willing to pay $20 for all of Google's services. Plus, I wouldn't be looking to switch providers. (Just gotta figure out how to get a decent phone that doesn't come with Apple or Google on it, and I'm free....)

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u/bbibber Jan 25 '25

You can pay for YouTube premium. I do it mainly in the hopes that they introduce a similar thing for google search.

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

I sincerely hope you stub your toe. They've already ruined Google search, charging for it would be the nail in the coffin.

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u/Cpt_Tripps Jan 25 '25

A huge part of the issue is that you the consumer are not the source of income. Why keep you satisfied with the service when your not the one paying?

The "free" model is killing the internet. Paying for a service you use needs to become the standard if you want a product for you and not for data collection.

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

It's adorable that you think willingly giving Alphabet your money will stop them from selling your data or showing you ads.

How's Netflix, Disney, Prime, Hulu, etc. working out for you?

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u/t014y Jan 25 '25

Wow, you guys thread went off the deep end, but i think this is the relevant part for me to reply to.

  • If * i could have reasonable belief that my data was not being sold in exchange for $10-$20 a month , I would happily pay for Google services as a whole. I pay Proton precisely for that reason. The products Google has are petty good, and I wish I could use them without the data issues.

I'm not willing to pay for anything if they are still going to make money on the side selling my data.

To that end, for my personal life, I've been working to remove myself from Google's ecosystem in the places I'm willing to do that. I've never used chrome infavor of firefox, I stopped using their search engine in favor of duck duck go, and I've been working on migrating to the paid service Proton for my email, cloud storage, and other things they provide.

However, I'm not willing to not watch YouTube or any other form of entertainment or to uproot my life to live off the grid raising chickens just to stick it the corps.

Honest question though, what do you do for a phone? I'm trying to get out of Google Ecosystem, and I don't wanna switch to Apple's. But also, I kinda need a smartphone, so I've been stuck on removing myself on this front.

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

A Google Pixel with GrapheneOS is the best bet for ease of use and security. It doesn't get much easier to use than that, and you still have access to all of the Play Store apps. Bonus points for a refurbished or secondhand device. Getting an adblocker and using ProtonVPN covers the rest of your bases for most use cases.

I've always lived in very rural Appalachia, so I get that the self-sufficiency bit isn't for everyone. Will say that the extra work is worth it.

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u/bbibber Jan 26 '25

Sure. But if there is at least an incentive to do better. If the only way to monetize is to sell the data then they will sell the data the hardest they can. Secondly, I live in Europe. As a paying customer, customer protection rights spring into action. Not enough to prevent sale of my data, but some.

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u/Cpt_Tripps Jan 25 '25

I don't use any of them. Whats your solution then? Cry and wail about your data being bought and sold?

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

Your proposals say a lot about your mentality. "Give the corpos money and hope for the best" sounds like something a Pinkerton would say before getting laughed out of a room.

Deprive them of my data and my money. Starve them while I actively use decentralized and open-source alternatives. Shame people like you for your awful ideas.

Wanna try again or suggest something serious? Maybe list one thing you do that matters, since I told you three?

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u/Cpt_Tripps Jan 25 '25

while I actively use decentralized and open-source alternatives.

oh because those options have never had problems.

Servers cost money to run. I have no problem paying for well run servers.

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

Everything has problems, champ; life is struggle and discomfort and then we die. You can't throw money at every problem, especially with what you make and the way the economy is headed.

Either you disdain the system enough to do something, or you do nothing. We can see your choice.

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u/Cpt_Tripps Jan 25 '25

yes you are truly the bravest warrior fighting for justice and freedom. congrats you win reddit. lol

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

Still paying Bezos to watch The Boys and get your Funko Pops? Think your data isn't being sold?

Hyperbole to prove my point seems to have went above your head.

Still not willing to answer what you do about the system you claim to care about?

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u/Cpt_Tripps Jan 25 '25

dude I moderate /r/larp and I'm not ready for this level of roleplay you're doing. Go touch some grass.

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u/[deleted] Jan 25 '25

Fuck all, thanks for answering.

I'll be sure to tell the folks at the next John Brown Gun Club chapter meeting you hurt my feefees. Maybe I'll still be crying when I get to the food bank next week.

Infosec is a good set of habits that can also keep your data out of corporations hands with just a tiny bit of effort, soft little manchild.

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