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Watch one "conservative news" video and it will do a complete 180. Ads for "rations", "preparing for the end of the world", "how to be self sustainable", tons o

Watch one "conservative news" video and it will do a complete 180. Ads for "rations", "preparing for the end of the world", "how to be self sustainable", tons of PragerU propaganda, and some of the most low quality l BS you'll ever see from political ads. YouTube delivers content based on what you've watched.

wing-_-nuts 5y ago
Yeah I watched some 'forgotten weapons' and 'demolition ranch' videos, and it was wild how quickly my feed changed from science and history stuff to conservative talking points. I spent a rather long time marking videos as 'do not recommend this channel, I dislike this video' etc, before things returned to normal.
- vl 5y ago
  Another simple way to address this is to remove uninteresting videos from history, then recommendations go back to normal. We have to do it on our kids account periodically.
  - dvdkon 5y ago
    I just fully revoked Google from keeping any data on my viewing habits and for some time now my YouTube main page has been a rehash of popular videos from my subscribed channels (and the occasional cat video). I sure don't miss the craziness desperately trying to get me to watch as much as possible.
- VRay 5y ago
  Man, I had a similar problem I watched something right wing, I can't remember what, and for years YouTube was bombarding me with crazy half-truths and memes. I tuned them out just like most of the other bullshit I get bombarded with all day, but I wonder how many people have been radicalized this way..
rjbwork 5y ago
I watch a lot of lefty "news" and infotainment. I still get ads for the conservative propaganda, survival rations, prepping, etc. I think it's because I also watch a lot of firearms hobby content. Kinda silly, but it does make me chuckle that people like Ben Shapiro, PragerU, and 4Patriots are subsidizing my lefty youtube subscriptions.
- pohl 5y ago
  I mostly consume guitar technique & music theory videos, yet I still see ads suggesting I might want to buy & bury a plastic tote full of MREs out in the wilderness just in case. Maybe it's because I live in Nebraska? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  - da_chicken 5y ago
    That's probably part of it, but you can tell YouTube to stop showing you those videos. The algorithm does work it's just kind of like a 7-year-old.
  - kingTug 5y ago
    Same here, 95% of my YT consumption is related to advanced music theory. The (constant) ads that drive me up a wall are the "learn to play guitar" services that feature children practicing their first guitar notes. Ive heard this from other musicians too - the algorithm thinks everyone is a novice.
- ashtonkem 5y ago
  What’s particularly fascinating is how there is an almost complete absence of a leftist equivalent on YT. There are some leftist channels here and there, but you’re not going to get bombarded with communist ads after watching one video like you might on the right.
  - rjbwork 5y ago
    It's strictly a function of funding and the economic power of the interested parties. Rich capitalists are, naturally, invested in promoting policies, ideologies, and politicians that will 1) keep them being rich capitalists and 2) make them richer capitalists. I don't know, but am fairly confident in stating, that there are not rich communists waging a communistic propaganda campaign in order to keep them being rich communists and making them richer communists. Certainly not in the Anglosphere, anyway.
zenron 5y ago
Calling PragerU propaganda is like calling an Western history book written by a religious person contraband. What exact points do you take umbrage with or is this just a signal to your political preference?
- danparsonson 5y ago
  Here's a counterpoint for you, regarding the 'war on cars': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8Tb7OA_F4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8Tb7OA_F4
  - tenaciousDaniel 5y ago
    Meh, I'm still not seeing what make it propaganda, instead of just a terrible argument.
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - CRConrad 5y ago
      Nobody is as blind as he who does not want to see.
- devwastaken 5y ago
  PragerU is the one funding advertisements with wild, baseless, and often scientifically dishonest "research". I don't recall traditional universities doing this. They firmly market themselves as "conservative intellectuals", telling you the "real truth" liberals won't recognize. I'd call that propaganda by definition.
- toiletfuneral 5y ago
  why do you weirdo conservatives always talk like Ducktale villains? Anyway, I thought Candace Owens comments on nationalist socialism were just straight up insane, also their series defending creationism is completely hilarious.
- elliekelly 5y ago
sjmulder 5y ago
Late night show Zondag met Lubach put this to the test: https://youtu.be/FLoR2Spftwg https://youtu.be/FLoR2Spftwg (English CC available. Skip to 11:48 if you just want to see this bit.) They created a fresh account using a fresh browser, clicked the top result for “PCR test reliable”, then some recommended videos. Just three clicks in they get to 9/11 and qanon conspiracy videos. By then their home feed too is full of that stuff.

wing-_-nuts 5y ago

Yeah I watched some 'forgotten weapons' and 'demolition ranch' videos, and it was wild how quickly my feed changed from science and history stuff to conservative talking points. I spent a rather long time marking videos as 'do not recommend this channel, I dislike this video' etc, before things returned to normal.

vl 5y ago
Another simple way to address this is to remove uninteresting videos from history, then recommendations go back to normal. We have to do it on our kids account periodically.
- dvdkon 5y ago
  I just fully revoked Google from keeping any data on my viewing habits and for some time now my YouTube main page has been a rehash of popular videos from my subscribed channels (and the occasional cat video). I sure don't miss the craziness desperately trying to get me to watch as much as possible.
VRay 5y ago
Man, I had a similar problem I watched something right wing, I can't remember what, and for years YouTube was bombarding me with crazy half-truths and memes. I tuned them out just like most of the other bullshit I get bombarded with all day, but I wonder how many people have been radicalized this way..

rjbwork 5y ago

I watch a lot of lefty "news" and infotainment. I still get ads for the conservative propaganda, survival rations, prepping, etc. I think it's because I also watch a lot of firearms hobby content. Kinda silly, but it does make me chuckle that people like Ben Shapiro, PragerU, and 4Patriots are subsidizing my lefty youtube subscriptions.

pohl 5y ago
I mostly consume guitar technique & music theory videos, yet I still see ads suggesting I might want to buy & bury a plastic tote full of MREs out in the wilderness just in case. Maybe it's because I live in Nebraska? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- da_chicken 5y ago
  That's probably part of it, but you can tell YouTube to stop showing you those videos. The algorithm does work it's just kind of like a 7-year-old.
- kingTug 5y ago
  Same here, 95% of my YT consumption is related to advanced music theory. The (constant) ads that drive me up a wall are the "learn to play guitar" services that feature children practicing their first guitar notes. Ive heard this from other musicians too - the algorithm thinks everyone is a novice.
ashtonkem 5y ago
What’s particularly fascinating is how there is an almost complete absence of a leftist equivalent on YT. There are some leftist channels here and there, but you’re not going to get bombarded with communist ads after watching one video like you might on the right.
- rjbwork 5y ago
  It's strictly a function of funding and the economic power of the interested parties. Rich capitalists are, naturally, invested in promoting policies, ideologies, and politicians that will 1) keep them being rich capitalists and 2) make them richer capitalists. I don't know, but am fairly confident in stating, that there are not rich communists waging a communistic propaganda campaign in order to keep them being rich communists and making them richer communists. Certainly not in the Anglosphere, anyway.

zenron 5y ago

Calling PragerU propaganda is like calling an Western history book written by a religious person contraband. What exact points do you take umbrage with or is this just a signal to your political preference?

danparsonson 5y ago
Here's a counterpoint for you, regarding the 'war on cars': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8Tb7OA_F4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z8Tb7OA_F4
- tenaciousDaniel 5y ago
  Meh, I'm still not seeing what make it propaganda, instead of just a terrible argument.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - CRConrad 5y ago
    Nobody is as blind as he who does not want to see.
devwastaken 5y ago
PragerU is the one funding advertisements with wild, baseless, and often scientifically dishonest "research". I don't recall traditional universities doing this. They firmly market themselves as "conservative intellectuals", telling you the "real truth" liberals won't recognize. I'd call that propaganda by definition.
toiletfuneral 5y ago
why do you weirdo conservatives always talk like Ducktale villains? Anyway, I thought Candace Owens comments on nationalist socialism were just straight up insane, also their series defending creationism is completely hilarious.
elliekelly 5y ago

sjmulder 5y ago

Late night show Zondag met Lubach put this to the test: https://youtu.be/FLoR2Spftwg https://youtu.be/FLoR2Spftwg (English CC available. Skip to 11:48 if you just want to see this bit.) They created a fresh account using a fresh browser, clicked the top result for “PCR test reliable”, then some recommended videos. Just three clicks in they get to 9/11 and qanon conspiracy videos. By then their home feed too is full of that stuff.