From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video.

Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

On Android, I use NewPipe (https://newpipe.net) which doesn't
ask for you to sign in but on Windows, things are very different.

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:35:12 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote :

Someone reported a similar problem maybe a month ago [...] Yes, at alt.comp.software.firefox, in June. "Re: Can't use Youtube any more"

I'm extremely familiar with the problem that the OP described.
And I *never* log into a Google Account using any web browser.

At the time it started (months ago), we were told that Google had
too many bots so they implemented a selective method of requiring signin.

I never sign in but I can only get away with that using some browsers
and using some IP addresses and using some VPN obfuscators, etc.

SO, it's the classic YMMV situation.
But I get it a LOT so I agree with the OP's initial post.

It definitely happens in many situations (more often than not).
It's roughly about 80% or about 90% of the situations in my experience.

This happened when Google changed things due to bots a few months ago.
It was publicized in the war channel I frequent (see below).
Because that war channel started requiring you to prove you're an adult.

Here's my 10-step way to reproduce the problem, or to work around it:
1. Choose an IP address (some of us have VPNs & some have SOCKS proxies)
2. Choose a web browser (some have proxies & vpn extensions)
3. Make sure you are NOT logged into Google by any means whatsoever
4. Make sure you have no cookies or saved data either of any type
5. Go to <https://www.youtube.com/>
6. You should see "Try searching to get started" and below that
"Start watching videos to help us build a feed of videos you'll love."
7. If you see anything other than an almost blank page, repeat #3 & #4
8. Search for "Denys Davydov" (which is adult war material about Ukraine)
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=denys+davydov>
9. Click on the latest war report (there's a new report every day)
10. Depending on #1 and #2 and #3 above, I get one of two results:
a. Sign in to confirm you're not a bot
This helps protect our community. Learn more
Sign in
b. Or, it just plays.

My results?
A. Most browsers & most IP addresses will NOT play the video.
B. Some browsers & some IP addresses DO play the video.

This is the classic YMMV.
Your results depend on what Google thinks is a potential bot.

This has been the case for many months now.
So it's not new.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com>
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video.

Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

On Android, I use NewPipe (https://newpipe.net) which doesn't
ask for you to sign in but on Windows, things are very different.

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:35:12 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote :

Someone reported a similar problem maybe a month ago [...] Yes, at alt.comp.software.firefox, in June. "Re: Can't use Youtube any more"

I'm extremely familiar with the problem that the OP described.
And I *never* log into a Google Account using any web browser.

At the time it started (months ago), we were told that Google had
too many bots so they implemented a selective method of requiring signin. <kaboomed>
8. Search for "Denys Davydov" (which is adult war material about Ukraine)
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=denys+davydov>
9. Click on the latest war report (there's a new report every day)

So what's the problem? None on Win 11 Home 24H2/Ffox 142.0... today's
train got kaboomed as well so presumably the Ruzzians (sic) are
drowning their sorrows in wodka.
Any other *free* YouTube material plays normally... I'm certainly not
going to pay to play or rent.
No demand to log in.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:34 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com>
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video.

Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

I use Windows 7 with FFx 115.15.0esr and I never have to sign in to
Youtube.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion wrote :

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video.

Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

On Android, I use NewPipe (https://newpipe.net) which doesn't
ask for you to sign in but on Windows, things are very different.

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:35:12 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote :

Someone reported a similar problem maybe a month ago [...] Yes, at alt.comp.software.firefox, in June. "Re: Can't use Youtube any more"

I'm extremely familiar with the problem that the OP described.
And I *never* log into a Google Account using any web browser.

At the time it started (months ago), we were told that Google had
too many bots so they implemented a selective method of requiring signin.

I never sign in but I can only get away with that using some browsers
and using some IP addresses and using some VPN obfuscators, etc.

SO, it's the classic YMMV situation.
But I get it a LOT so I agree with the OP's initial post.

It definitely happens in many situations (more often than not).
It's roughly about 80% or about 90% of the situations in my experience.

This happened when Google changed things due to bots a few months ago.
It was publicized in the war channel I frequent (see below).
Because that war channel started requiring you to prove you're an adult.

Here's my 10-step way to reproduce the problem, or to work around it:
1. Choose an IP address (some of us have VPNs & some have SOCKS proxies)
2. Choose a web browser (some have proxies & vpn extensions)
3. Make sure you are NOT logged into Google by any means whatsoever
4. Make sure you have no cookies or saved data either of any type
5. Go to <https://www.youtube.com/>
6. You should see "Try searching to get started" and below that
"Start watching videos to help us build a feed of videos you'll love."
7. If you see anything other than an almost blank page, repeat #3 & #4
8. Search for "Denys Davydov" (which is adult war material about Ukraine)
<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=denys+davydov>
9. Click on the latest war report (there's a new report every day)
10. Depending on #1 and #2 and #3 above, I get one of two results:
a. Sign in to confirm you're not a bot
This helps protect our community. Learn more
Sign in
b. Or, it just plays.

My results?
A. Most browsers & most IP addresses will NOT play the video.
B. Some browsers & some IP addresses DO play the video.

This is the classic YMMV.
Your results depend on what Google thinks is a potential bot.

This has been the case for many months now.
So it's not new.

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 02:25:13 +0200, Carlos E.R. wrote :

It definitely happens in many situations (more often than not).
It's roughly about 80% or about 90% of the situations in my experience.

Well, I have never logged into Google (or youtube) in my default
browser, and I have never been asked by youtube to login. I don't try to hide, either.

Of course, there are phones in the house where I'm logged in, and there
is another browser in which I'm logged in. They might find out I am the
same person, but that would show.

Thanks for bringing a different datapoint up in this youtube bot issue.

A great reason to start the way I described is everyone starts the same. There's no connection whatsoever to Google starting the way I did.

Still, Google is like Amazon Vine, where their algorithms are unknowable. Still, I can generally control the common bot failures to get a success.

Below are some screenshots I made today showing the whole process.
a. First, there's nothing at the youtube page
b. Then I fail because youtube thinks I'm a bot
c. Then I flip a few switches & youtube thinks I'm not a bot

Each time, I tweak the conditions which I've learned over time how to do.
<https://i.postimg.cc/rpyFGJx9/Clipboard-08-19-2025-01.jpg> get started
<https://i.postimg.cc/8cv1kngT/Clipboard-08-19-2025-02.jpg> enter search
<https://i.postimg.cc/ry4crb7k/Clipboard-08-19-2025-03.jpg> enter channel
<https://i.postimg.cc/3wWQJb2z/Clipboard-08-19-2025-04.jpg> you're a bot
<https://i.postimg.cc/YqcrDkQ0/Clipboard-08-19-2025-05.jpg> modify bits
<https://i.postimg.cc/9fxXL7BH/Clipboard-08-19-2025-06.jpg> reject all
<https://i.postimg.cc/QC2R6XP3/Clipboard-08-19-2025-07.jpg> you're no bot

Notice in the same session, I'm a bot, and I'm not a bot, all depending
on what I do with the browser settings and which Google seems to look at.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a
google/youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page
is an utter cesspit of shitty videos.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related recommendations ...
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:18:17 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a
google/youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page
is an utter cesspit of shitty videos.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related >recommendations ...

I do not subscribe to YouTube, but I do get to watch all the videos
posted which ask us to subscribe. However, I do not watch movies.

So I do not understand why a viewer need subscribe.

I'm missing something?
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

ron@invalid.com wrote:

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:18:17 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>: >>ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a >>google/youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page
is an utter cesspit of shitty videos.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related >>recommendations ...

I do not subscribe to YouTube, but I do get to watch all the videos
posted which ask us to subscribe. However, I do not watch movies.

So I do not understand why a viewer need subscribe.

I'm missing something?

He just explained!

When signed in to Google, the algorithm makes recommendations based on
what you've watched AND channels you subscribe to.

When not signed in, the recommendations are based on what you've watched
and much more general criteria that apply to many other viewers.

I don't sign in because I'd prefer not to get more personalized recommendations.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 20:29:02 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"
<ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

ron@invalid.com wrote:

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:18:17 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>: >>>ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a >>>google/youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page >>>is an utter cesspit of shitty videos.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related >>>recommendations ...

I do not subscribe to YouTube, but I do get to watch all the videos
posted which ask us to subscribe. However, I do not watch movies.

So I do not understand why a viewer need subscribe.

I'm missing something?

He just explained!

When signed in to Google, the algorithm makes recommendations based on
what you've watched AND channels you subscribe to.

When not signed in, the recommendations are based on what you've watched
and much more general criteria that apply to many other viewers.

I don't sign in because I'd prefer not to get more personalized >recommendations.

Clear enough. And that's exactly why I never use Like/Dislike on Roku
channels. I feel stuff I might like could be closed out by
Like/Dislikes.

I found in the past that Like/Dislike choices lead more to garbage than something interesting.

I would rather search through tons of misc "uncensored" stuff. I have
found this to be a much better way of finding videos of subjects I never
knew would be of interest to me.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:00:11 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:34 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com>
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video.

Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

I use Windows 7 with FFx 115.15.0esr and I never have to sign in to
Youtube.

My W-7, FF 115 allows me to run YT videos but they go tits-up after
about 30 seconds and tell me that "something went wrong" (no kidding, Sherlock!), offering me a "learn more" clicky.

The "learnmore" takes me to a "you WILLL SIGN IN" "F.A.Q." page
which also mentions not blocking their advertisers and letting them
run scripts. To all of which I respond with a two-word phrase which is
rather impolite.

I just don't run YT any more.

Fuck them.

Oh, I'm in the English bit of UKland and don't use a V.P.N. if that
matters to anyone collecting anecdotal statistics. :)


J.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On 2025-08-20 09:18, Andy Burns wrote:

ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a google/
youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page is an
utter cesspit of shitty videos.

Nono. Youtube learns from your tastes even if you don't ever login, as
long as you do not delete the cookies.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related recommendations ...

--
Cheers, Carlos.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On 2025-08-20 22:10, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Wed, 20 Aug 2025 08:18:17 +0100, Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk>
wrote:

ron@invalid.com wrote:

I never have to sign in to Youtube.

I know that some people have their reasons for not wanting a
google/youtube account, but if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page
is an utter cesspit of shitty videos.

When I sign in, I get videos from channels I subscribe to plus related
recommendations ...

I do not subscribe to YouTube, but I do get to watch all the videos
posted which ask us to subscribe. However, I do not watch movies.

So I do not understand why a viewer need subscribe.

I'm missing something?

I normally watch unsubscribed, but somethings I watch subscribed.
Channels I am subscribed to. Hitting "I like it". This helps the video creators to get something back, which can be money or simply knowing
that many people are watching and liking, so they create more. And it
doesn't harm me at all.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:44:42 +0100, John <Man@the.keyboard> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:00:11 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:34 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com> >>>wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video. >>>>> Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

I use Windows 7 with FFx 115.15.0esr and I never have to sign in to >>Youtube.

My W-7, FF 115 allows me to run YT videos but they go tits-up after
about 30 seconds and tell me that "something went wrong" (no kidding, >Sherlock!), offering me a "learn more" clicky.

The "learnmore" takes me to a "you WILLL SIGN IN" "F.A.Q." page
which also mentions not blocking their advertisers and letting them
run scripts. To all of which I respond with a two-word phrase which is
rather impolite.

I just don't run YT any more.

Something is goofy. As I posted, my Windows7 Ultimate and FFx
115.15.0esr have no problem at all downloading from Youtube . However,
I never have attempted to download movies.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

Carlos E.R. <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

Nono. Youtube learns from your tastes even if you don't ever login, as
long as you do not delete the cookies.

That's ancient technology. Google has everybody's DNA and uses that for individual identification.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

Carlos E.R. wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

if I don't sign-in then youtube's home page is an

utter cesspit of shitty videos.

Nono. Youtube learns from your tastes even if you don't ever login, as
long as you do not delete the cookies.

I delete cookies with a vengeance ...

I watch youtube on three devices, so allowing the history to be shared
between them in a google account give me consistent recommendations
across them all.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 17:24:40 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:44:42 +0100, John <Man@the.keyboard> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:00:11 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:34 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com> >>>>wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video. >>>>>> Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

I use Windows 7 with FFx 115.15.0esr and I never have to sign in to >>>Youtube.

My W-7, FF 115 allows me to run YT videos but they go tits-up after
about 30 seconds and tell me that "something went wrong" (no kidding, >>Sherlock!), offering me a "learn more" clicky.

The "learnmore" takes me to a "you WILLL SIGN IN" "F.A.Q." page
which also mentions not blocking their advertisers and letting them
run scripts. To all of which I respond with a two-word phrase which is >>rather impolite.

I just don't run YT any more.

Something is goofy. As I posted, my Windows7 Ultimate and FFx
115.15.0esr have no problem at all downloading from Youtube . However,
I never have attempted to download movies.

Are you saying that my set-up is weird? If so, I would probably agree
with you. The blockage may, indeed, be entirely of my own making due
to something I have done. I no longer care enough to investigate.

I have never tried to download a movie from YT. Years ago, I did
accidentally download music videos so I could accidentally play them a
couple of times on a slab while travelling. This doesn't work any
more.

I'm extremely reluctant to put much effort into making it work. Any
solution I found would be blocked within a couple of downloads by Evil
Empire Inc.

Arms races are unwinnable when they have battalions of programmers
working against us.

J.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:56:35 +0100, John <Man@the.keyboard> wrote:

On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 17:24:40 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:44:42 +0100, John <Man@the.keyboard> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 23:00:11 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:34 -0700, Nobody <jock@soccer.com> wrote:

On Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:20:59 -0000 (UTC), Marion <marion@facts.com> >>>>>wrote:

On Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:33:27 +0100, Andy Burns wrote :

You tube insists I sign in for membership before I can see a video. >>>>>>> Any videos, or one specific (possibly age barred) video?

I use Windows 7 with FFx 115.15.0esr and I never have to sign in to >>>>Youtube.

My W-7, FF 115 allows me to run YT videos but they go tits-up after >>>about 30 seconds and tell me that "something went wrong" (no kidding, >>>Sherlock!), offering me a "learn more" clicky.

The "learnmore" takes me to a "you WILLL SIGN IN" "F.A.Q." page
which also mentions not blocking their advertisers and letting them
run scripts. To all of which I respond with a two-word phrase which is >>>rather impolite.

I just don't run YT any more.

Something is goofy. As I posted, my Windows7 Ultimate and FFx >>115.15.0esr have no problem at all downloading from Youtube . However,
I never have attempted to download movies.

Are you saying that my set-up is weird? If so, I would probably agree
with you. The blockage may, indeed, be entirely of my own making due
to something I have done. I no longer care enough to investigate.

All I'm saying is that with my mentioned setup I can download any video
I want from YouTube.

I have never tried to download a movie from YT. Years ago, I did
accidentally download music videos so I could accidentally play them a
couple of times on a slab while travelling. This doesn't work any
more.

It's sad you cannot access musical videos from YouTube. They have every
type of music from so many countries over the decades. I have over
10,000 music videos from all over the world. I again can listen to the
music of the 30's through the 50's that I grew up with. It's great.

Sorry to hear that you have given up on the subject.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.comp.software.firefox

On Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:13:54 -0500, ron@invalid.com wrote:
<kissing goodbye>

It's sad you cannot access musical videos from YouTube. They have every
type of music from so many countries over the decades. I have over
10,000 music videos from all over the world.

And how many are in the public domain? You've probably not received
permission to use them freely nor paid a cent towards performing
rights.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2