cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/40372957

fyi:

  • https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp lets you download videos (from youtube and also hundreds of other sites)
  • for desktop, https://mpv.io/ is free and lets you watch youtube (or any other video) at even more and faster speeds than youtube premium does, among many other features
  • for android, https://newpipe.net/ lets you play youtube in the background (and download videos, and block ads, …)
  • https://ublockorigin.com/ blocks ads everywhere (and yes it does still work on youtube, at least in firefox anyway)
  • 87Six@lemmy.zip
    3·
    13 days ago

    Admittedly, the creators get extra revenue from you using premium, so that approach is very valid in my eyes.

    Also, ublock now blocks a list that includes the tracker for youtube views, if I remember right, so peopld using ublock don’t even count towards the creator’s views now :-/ this may be outdated now

    Donate to your favourite creators either way! And use patreon not the youtube BS because youtube takes a massive cut!!!

    • MetaStatistical@lemmy.zipEnglish
      3·
      13 days ago

      if I remember right, so peopld using ublock don’t even count towards the creator’s views now :-/ this may be outdated now

      This was a temporary problem that was discovered by a bunch of creators and eventually fixed by uBlock Origin.

      I’m fine paying for YT Premium, because I watch YouTube all the time, but I don’t even understand why people try to use YouTube’s monetization. It’s pennies compared to getting subscriptions from Patreon.

      I turn off ads for all of my videos, because I’d rather just have the freedom to not worry about de-monetization. If I ever end up needing the money, I’ll use Patreon to fund the channel.

      • 87Six@lemmy.zip
        2·
        13 days ago

        I’m glad that’s fixed.

        And I think your approach is good. Look at Gamer’s Nexus’ channel. They got more funding from their supporters to fund their documentaries around the US, Germany and China in a few weeks than they would have got from youtube in months.

        Viewer support is the way forward for creators imho.

        Ib4 youtube bans external funding while using their platform.

        • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
          2·
          13 days ago

          I don’t see how YouTube could ban Patreon at this point. It’s too big to fail. Many of the top YouTubers have a Patreon account that earns them tens to hundreds of thousands per month. Cutting off people’s main source of revenue would just cause them to quit YouTube for another platform.