Hi, my post is focusing specifically on YouTube since I observed the following categories have less intrusive solutions or privacy focused solutions, even if they are paid:

  • Operating Systems (Linux, for example)
  • Instant Messaging (Element, for example)
  • Community Messaging (Revolt, for example)
  • E-Mail (Proton, for example)
  • Office (libreoffice, for example)
  • Password Managers (Bitwarden, for example)

However, how do we distribute videos and watch them without data collection? I am NOT asking how do I use a privacy-focused front-end for YouTube, by the way, I am aware they exist.

I am wondering how we obtain a FOSS solution to something super critical such as YouTube. It is critical since it contains a lot of educational content (I’d wager more than any other platform), and arguably the most informative platform, despite having to filter through a lot of trash. During COVID, we even saw lecturers from universities upload their content on YouTube and telling students to watch those lectures. (I have first-hand experience with this at a respectable university).

I refuse to accept that there is nothing we can do about it.

    • Bob@feddit.nl
      13·
      1 month ago

      I am NOT asking how do I use a privacy-focused front-end for YouTube, by the way, I am aware they exist.

      • electricprism
        4·
        1 month ago

        My bad needed more coffee

        The prior verbiage threw me off.

        how do we distribute videos and watch them without data collection?

        So opinion answer to the latter. Opinion answer. Don’t ignore YouTube.

        Steam didn’t ignore Win32 and ask 10k devs to port to Linux. They partnered up with CodeWeavers, WINE and others to create Proton and it made the former task largely unnecessary.

        Expand federated video services to cache all videos they stream in case the original gets dunked on. And then at the same time grow the platform.

        A subsection of FOSS hates wealth, but people need to be able to lift themselves out of poverty, there has to be a profit motive and that profit has to largely go to the content creators.

        Without motives and incentives you can build the most beautiful codebase ever and it won’t take off.

        Mass censorship is coming, so platforms that don’t censor and host in countries where this is legally protected will have the advantage of growing new mega sites.