YouTube's recent front page change

[mikeymikec]

If you're not signed into a Google account in your web browser (or if you have YouTube history in your account set to 'off') the YouTube front page has absolutely no content, for example:



I find this to be really odd. On one hand, I love it. If I'm thinking of wasting a little time with random browsing, this serves as a solid reminder to me that this isn't a particularly productive use of my time (I'm self-employed so my self-discipline is often challenged without external observers). On the other hand, I have the feeling that Google thinks that this is the ultimate check-mate to get the likes of me to sign in with a Google account for suggested content and it really isn't.

I once had to delete my site history metadata in Firefox for the YouTube website because YouTube got so good at predicting stuff that serves as clickbait for me, and now, nothing.

 

[KMFJD]

If you're not signed into a Google account in your web browser (or if you have YouTube history in your account set to 'off') the YouTube front page has absolutely no content, for example:

View attachment 92055

I find this to be really odd. On one hand, I love it. If I'm thinking of wasting a little time with random browsing, this serves as a solid reminder to me that this isn't a particularly productive use of my time (I'm self-employed so my self-discipline is often challenged without external observers). On the other hand, I have the feeling that Google thinks that this is the ultimate check-mate to get the likes of me to sign in with a Google account for suggested content and it really isn't.

I once had to delete my site history metadata in Firefox for the YouTube website because YouTube got so good at predicting stuff that serves as clickbait for me, and now, nothing.

sweeeeeeet, no more mr beast and other random annoying shit plastered at you

 

[purbeast0]

I just opened an incognito tab and went to their homepage and it's full of content. Sounds like this is an issue on your end.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't really use youtube, but that looks ideal. If I'm going to youtube, I'm usually looking for something specific, and I only want to see matches based on the description I gave. I pretty much never see things anywhere unless I actively searched for it.

I got a mastodon acct during the first twitter migration. I was never on twitter, but I'm a huge fan of federation, so I joined to see what's up. Everything in my feed is stuff I specifically asked for, or is boosted by people I follow. No bullshit algorithm feeding me stuff it thinks will make a company money. That's how the web should should work. If I want something recommended to me, there should be a [Recommend] button. Otherwise, give a blank page until something's specified by the user.

 

[mikeymikec]

I just opened an incognito tab and went to their homepage and it's full of content. Sounds like this is an issue on your end.

Nope. I've just tried a separate, freshly-created Firefox profile and Chromium. The only common factor is that when one visits YouTube for the first time, they get a sign in and "do you agree to allowing all this stuff" prompt, to which I click on 'reject all'.

 

[purbeast0]

Nope. I've just tried a separate, freshly-created Firefox profile and Chromium. The only common factor is that when one visits YouTube for the first time, they get a sign in and "do you agree to allowing all this stuff" prompt, to which I click on 'reject all'.

Yah I dunno, it must be something on your system. I'm on MacOS.

I just tried in Firefox and Safari, both of which I've never signed into a google profile and never use, and I see stuff on the home pages too. Same behavior as if I opened it in Chrome incognito mode.

I also tried going to it on my EC2 instance for work which I have never used youtube on, and same thing. It's Chrome running Linux.

 

[lxskllr]

Heh... I just tried it, and I get even less than Mike. It might be the most perfect webpage ever :^D

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I've never been there.


I'll never be there.


So there.

 

[nakedfrog]

Yah I dunno, it must be something on your system. I'm on MacOS.

I just tried in Firefox and Safari, both of which I've never signed into a google profile and never use, and I see stuff on the home pages too. Same behavior as if I opened it in Chrome incognito mode.

I also tried going to it on my EC2 instance for work which I have never used youtube on, and same thing. It's Chrome running Linux.

I was thinking maybe it's because he's in the UK or something, I'm also seeing no change whether I look in a private window or simply signed out in a regular window.

 

[nakedfrog]

sweeeeeeet, no more mr beast and other random annoying shit plastered at you

Mr. Beast or those stupid fucking SSSniperWolf thumbnails 🤢

 

[mikeymikec]

Yah I dunno, it must be something on your system. I'm on MacOS.

I just tried in Firefox and Safari, both of which I've never signed into a google profile and never use, and I see stuff on the home pages too. Same behavior as if I opened it in Chrome incognito mode.

I also tried going to it on my EC2 instance for work which I have never used youtube on, and same thing. It's Chrome running Linux.

Maybe it's a regional thing that YouTube is trying/rolling out?

 

[KMFJD]

Not getting it on my end either unfortunately, FF incognito mode while VPN'd into Singapore

 

[mikeymikec]

For the people who aren't getting it, are you signed into a Google account?

 

[KMFJD]

For the people who aren't getting it, are you signed into a Google account?

i just tried it in edge as well, not getting it (i've never logged into my google account on edge)

 

[mikeymikec]

Added twist:

As you can see in the OP screenshot, there's an option to 'update setting', which out of pure curiosity I clicked on, then I selected the option to turn on YouTube history. When the front page reloaded, it was inundated with all the usual crap (e.g. MrBeast). I then opened site management in Firefox settings, removed site settings for YouTube, and now I'm back where I started (ie. OP screenshot).

 

[KMFJD]

I think this is a UK thing, when i jumped to a UK VPN server i do get that option now, i did not see it when i was on Singapore, Australia, US or Canada



Also getting it in Spain,Netherlands,Ireland so it looks to be an EU thing? Tried South Africa and get the normal page

Tried a bunch of different ones in South America, all the normal page, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong all normal, only European one that i got the normal one was Serbia and Ukraine

 

[mikeymikec]

I think this is a UK thing, when i jumped to a UK VPN server i do get that option now, i did not see it when i was on Singapore, Australia, US or Canada

View attachment 92308View attachment 92309

Also getting it in Spain,Netherlands,Ireland so it looks to be an EU thing? Tried South Africa and get the normal page

Tried a bunch of different ones in South America, all the normal page, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong all normal, only European one that i got the normal one was Serbia and Ukraine

Ok, this is super weird. I haven't heard of any privacy-centric laws coming into the UK (especially with this conservative government!), so this logically has to be GDPR (EU law)... which was introduced in May 2018 yet this site change occurred in late 2023 at the earliest.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Apparently some people are getting pages saying they have 3 views, and to disable Ad-Block (or something) or else YouTube won't function at all.

 

[purbeast0]

Apparently some people are getting pages saying they have 3 views, and to disable Ad-Block (or something) or else YouTube won't function at all.

That's been going on for a while now and there is a thread about it on here already. It's very easy to get around.

 

[KeithP]

YouTube will now show a blank homepage if you don’t have watch history on

As I understand it, it doesn't have anything to do with being signed in. It is only for those that are signed in and have their history turned off.

-kp

 

[mikeymikec]

YouTube will now show a blank homepage if you don’t have watch history on

As I understand it, it doesn't have anything to do with being signed in. It is only for those that are signed in and have their history turned off.

-kp

+1

YouTube on my Android phone does the same thing despite me being signed in.