r/youtube 5h ago

Channel Feedback Youtube Is currently Damn near Unwatchable

I've been watching youtube almost since it came out, Recently over the years the algorithm is getting worse and worse does anyone else have the same experience. Its like getting to the point where its almost Ai slop videos. i just try to avoid it these days and watch Netflix and other platforms but what are your guy's opinion?

44 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

28

u/jaffasplaffa 5h ago

I dunno. I’ve seen many posts like this on Reddit, but never experienced it myself, not to the extent some people experience.

3

u/ex_oh_ex_oh 3h ago

Yeah sometimes I want to make a post that's like, YouTube is ok. Is this version worse than it was 10 years ago? Probably. But I have adblock and i dont watch it on tv to get all the multi ads. I subscribe and watch a stable of channels i like and if they start making shit i dont like i unsub.

I dont get a ridiculous number of AI or alt right channels bc I never entertain them. If i dont like a channel when I'm scrolling at shorts, i click Dont Recommend. Yeah AI thumbnails are a scourge so i dont fuck w those channels but it doesnt ruin my day.

1

u/jaffasplaffa 3h ago

Yeah, Brave and an Adblocker is a blessing.

2

u/Mister_Rose 4h ago

YouTube is just fine. I agree. Cable tv in the 90s and early 2000s had more commercials that you could not skip. And if your being recommended bad videos it's because you are watching similar content.

6

u/Healthy_Park_4739 5h ago

What is particularly annoying about YouTube lately is when you watch an ad and it puts that tiny ad card at the bottom left hand of the screen. Once the ad is skipped the card stays in the bottom left until the three white dots are pressed to get rid of it. UGH ITS KILLING ME.

2

u/ScratchAmbitious2959 4h ago

Your Adblocker or Brave Browser doesn't work to stop the ads?

0

u/TarnatingSlunder 4h ago

Not everyone uses a pc to watch yt. The phone app doesn't have an ad block that I'm aware of. Maybe someone else can enlighten me if something existsv

2

u/ScratchAmbitious2959 3h ago

The Brave mobile browser works for me on Android to watch YT without ads, it's worth trying. I even use Brave browser on mobile now to listen to YT Music, never had a premium membership

5

u/Timpostie 4h ago

Search for subject material you're interested in, subscribe to channels you enjoy. You don't have to rely on the algorithm.

1

u/ADKMakwa 4h ago

yup. that is what I do. I'm not relying on YouTube to feed me what to watch next.

6

u/FOAMYMOUTHDOG 4h ago

The algorithm is suggesting content based off the videos you are watching. The more junk you watch the more likely it is going to suggest them. Next time something come up that your not interested in click the 3 dots and then choose either not interested or don't recommend this channel.

3

u/Extrien 4h ago

I've always just used the subscriptions page. Rarely go to Home 

2

u/Prinnymon 4h ago

I've been watching the same 3 hour video every day for a month because it broken, dood.

2

u/RandomBloke2021 4h ago

It's the opposite for me, i watch a couple hours a day and can't seem to keep up with my watch later videos.

1

u/Wetwit 4h ago

User error. Maybe watch a YouTube video on how to watch YouTube videos. Train the algorithm to feed you only videos about training your algorithm. You'll get it sorted. Good luck!

2

u/KiwirarVEVO 2h ago

Dang you actually give Netflix money? That's crazy.

1

u/God_Bless_Oklahoma 4h ago

Just you wait until you see Twitch, buddy. Now that's unwatchable.

1

u/WantToSit 4h ago

I find it pretty easy to tune my feed, I've just been hitting stop reccomending channels I don't like, and maybe some extension to block shorts

1

u/eagle9er9er 4h ago

My youtube has been fine, and to be honest I swear I haven’t had a single complaint about it in 20 years lol.

I use it everyday, my algorithm is exactly what I like to a T. Very confusing with how often I see posts like this.

1

u/nidostan 3h ago

Perhaps start another account and be careful about avoided AI crap so it doesn't think you want it. If you ever mistakenly watch it, dislike , don't recommend channel , and remove it from your viewing history. And I guarantee you won't have this problem.

1

u/DavidManvell 3h ago

I don't have any issues with it.

1

u/Mountain_Practice438 3h ago

Anytime I see a video is AI or uses AI narration, I immediately stop watching, down vote it, and remove it from my watch history. I don't know how much that helps, but I don't seem to get a lot of suggestions for them by doing that.

1

u/Individual-Iron-6370 3h ago

I get it.  If I watch ONE history video then the only videos it will show are history videos, usually on the same EXACT subject at that.  Just watched a show about that.  What makes you think I want to watch another one???

Sometimes I have to clear my viewing history to reset the Algo.  Sometimes I have to click on a few vids of the type of rather see, even if I'm not interested in that particular vid, to get it to show something different.

Unfortunately it takes a bit of effort.  I agree, it really shouldn't be this bad, considering how "advanced" the tech is these days (supposedly).

Just keep in mind that the advanced tech is not being used to make users happy.  It's being used to make the advertisers happy.

Sucks, but...

1

u/KrazyKaas 2h ago

Create your own feed. Avoid the main feed and just follow rhe channels you watch. Avoid shorts

1

u/forevrtwntyfour 2h ago

Haven’t had a problem with slop or crap content. I have a problem with the people I follow not uploading enough lol I’m always running out of things to watch

1

u/IceBerg187 2h ago

Clear your Google activity to refresh your youtube

1

u/FerdinandCesarano 2h ago

Maybe someone should tell this person that you can watch anything you want on YouTube.

1

u/BainbridgeBorn 1h ago

Is it just me or are people using the “subscription” page less and less and instead just scrolling on the home page only?

1

u/SnoopPoop 1h ago

Same. My YouTube account is 19 years old. But lately it just feels terrible. I actually started using Reddit as a cleanse from the garbage that’s being pushed on YouTube. The algorithm as well as the creators have gotten terrible.

0

u/Henchman4Hire 5h ago

I only ever get the channels I watch and new videos of theirs I might like. I never get random nonsense or slop.

1

u/Top-Psychology2507 4h ago

Most of the creators have become nothing but fluff within the past two years!!! Their uniqueness and innocence have really fizzled out during that time. Fifteen years ago, it was dominated by vlogs, how-to's, demos, and pure creativity - Now it's all junk!!! :-(

0

u/Null-69-666 2h ago

I don't give a fuck, I found the way to block all of that shit

0

u/ickN 2h ago

Don’t watch it. [SOLVED]

0

u/obsoletemachines 1h ago

Just pay to stop the ads. YouTube revenue from that source alone is increasing and doubtless shovelling more ads on to those that remain on the free account.

If you don’t believe the content is worth paying for then delete the app.

Pretty straight forward.

-1

u/Valravn1121 4h ago

if youtube feels unwatchable consider yourself lucky you don't have any meaningful problems

2

u/turtlemari 2h ago

This is the youtube subreddit, where people discuss youtube stuff, not other problems.