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While I agree to an extent, to me the larger issue is that Youtube has become the default video hosting platform with no real competition. I adblock everything

While I agree to an extent, to me the larger issue is that Youtube has become the default video hosting platform with no real competition. I adblock everything but I am sympathetic to the idea that video hosting costs money. But I watch, on average, less than 1 hour of Youtube videos a month, so paying for Youtube makes no sense. Plus I have issues with privacy (part of the reason I've never created a Youtube account). The videos I do watch on Youtube are short ones for a specific need: e.g., a company showing me how to install their product in an easy way (I'd prefer a write up, but sometimes those are so bad you need to rely on a video), or a simple how-to on changing the battery in X model of car. So when I do need to go to Youtube for something, often its because the video is nowhere else. People don't even think of hosting it elsewhere. I don't watch any long form stuff there, don't listen to music there, etc., so paying for premium makes no sense. I wish there was a free and open video platform that had a funding model like Wikipedia, where people could upload things that they had no intention of "monetizing".

ohhnoodont 3y ago
Especially when youtube's early success was built on piracy. That continued for a long time even after Google's acquisition. Arguably still is a major contributor regardless of Content ID.
- garciansmith 3y ago
  Yes, true. Gain traction through piracy to get to an immense size, let everyone use the service for free to grow even larger, introduce ads but only easily blockable ones, then slowly tighten the vise.
  - cglong 3y ago
    From my understanding, this is the exact model Crunchyroll used too to gain a virtual monopoly on anime streaming.
- daveevad 3y ago
  Between Youtube and PirateBay, who do you think has distributed more unauthorized copyrighted works?
  - shiroiuma 3y ago
    I'd say Youtube has distributed unauthorized copyrighted works to FAR more people. Most people have never heard of PirateBay or have any idea what a torrent is.
  - rchaud 3y ago
    Pirate Bay websites disappear all the time due to network uptime or just evading copyright cops. Youtube just sits there however, churning out its trove of pirated content and have the gall to throw ads on it.
belltaco 3y ago
> But I watch, on average, less than 1 hour of Youtube videos a month, so paying for Youtube makes no sense What's your issue with having to watch ads if you watch less than 1 hour of video content a month? > I wish there was a free and open video platform that had a funding model like Wikipedia, where people could upload things that they had no intention of "monetizing" There's a lot of content on YouTube that people upload that they have no intention of monetizing. > I wish there was a free and open video platform that had a funding model like Wikipedia Why don't you or someone else try starting one?
- garciansmith 3y ago
  > What's your issue with having to watch ads if you watch less than 1 hour of video content a month? Moral issues, security issues, etc. These have been discussed in pretty much every thread about adblocking ever, really. I get that you might disagree with them, of course, but no need to rehash the here. I don't even like company logos displayed on my clothing, so you can guess which side of the "how much do you hate ads?" spectrum I'm on. > There's a lot of content on YouTube that people upload that they have no intention of monetizing. So on those you never see ads? Hilariously I don't actually know how Youtube works since the only time I've seen ads is when someone who doesn't use an adblocker shows me something (i.e., extremely rarely). Firefox + uBlock Origin (and Adblock Plus before that) has been enough to guard me for as long as I can remember. > Why don't you or someone else try starting one? Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm a middle-aged historian, so starting a video hosting platform is far beyond my expertise. Though in general asking someone "why don't you just go build it yourself" in response to a complaint about a service, software, or hardware item is a bit trite.
  - belltaco 3y ago
    > Moral issues, security issues, etc. How is blocking ads not a moral issue? Video creators also get hurt by ad blockers, not just YT, which does have costs associated with serving you video. > So on those you never see ads? I think they started showing ads on them, just fewer. They do cost storage and bandwidth, so what's wrong with that? > Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm a middle-aged historian, so starting a video hosting platform is far beyond my expertise. Though in general asking someone "why don't you just go build it yourself" in response to a complaint about a service, software, or hardware item is a bit trite Popular web sites are typically co-founded by non-tech folks. Anyway, what I meant that if you looked into starting one, you'd understand the immense scale of storage and bandwidth costs.

ohhnoodont 3y ago

Especially when youtube's early success was built on piracy. That continued for a long time even after Google's acquisition. Arguably still is a major contributor regardless of Content ID.

garciansmith 3y ago
Yes, true. Gain traction through piracy to get to an immense size, let everyone use the service for free to grow even larger, introduce ads but only easily blockable ones, then slowly tighten the vise.
- cglong 3y ago
  From my understanding, this is the exact model Crunchyroll used too to gain a virtual monopoly on anime streaming.
daveevad 3y ago
Between Youtube and PirateBay, who do you think has distributed more unauthorized copyrighted works?
- shiroiuma 3y ago
  I'd say Youtube has distributed unauthorized copyrighted works to FAR more people. Most people have never heard of PirateBay or have any idea what a torrent is.
- rchaud 3y ago
  Pirate Bay websites disappear all the time due to network uptime or just evading copyright cops. Youtube just sits there however, churning out its trove of pirated content and have the gall to throw ads on it.

belltaco 3y ago

> But I watch, on average, less than 1 hour of Youtube videos a month, so paying for Youtube makes no sense What's your issue with having to watch ads if you watch less than 1 hour of video content a month? > I wish there was a free and open video platform that had a funding model like Wikipedia, where people could upload things that they had no intention of "monetizing" There's a lot of content on YouTube that people upload that they have no intention of monetizing. > I wish there was a free and open video platform that had a funding model like Wikipedia Why don't you or someone else try starting one?

garciansmith 3y ago
> What's your issue with having to watch ads if you watch less than 1 hour of video content a month? Moral issues, security issues, etc. These have been discussed in pretty much every thread about adblocking ever, really. I get that you might disagree with them, of course, but no need to rehash the here. I don't even like company logos displayed on my clothing, so you can guess which side of the "how much do you hate ads?" spectrum I'm on. > There's a lot of content on YouTube that people upload that they have no intention of monetizing. So on those you never see ads? Hilariously I don't actually know how Youtube works since the only time I've seen ads is when someone who doesn't use an adblocker shows me something (i.e., extremely rarely). Firefox + uBlock Origin (and Adblock Plus before that) has been enough to guard me for as long as I can remember. > Why don't you or someone else try starting one? Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm a middle-aged historian, so starting a video hosting platform is far beyond my expertise. Though in general asking someone "why don't you just go build it yourself" in response to a complaint about a service, software, or hardware item is a bit trite.
- belltaco 3y ago
  > Moral issues, security issues, etc. How is blocking ads not a moral issue? Video creators also get hurt by ad blockers, not just YT, which does have costs associated with serving you video. > So on those you never see ads? I think they started showing ads on them, just fewer. They do cost storage and bandwidth, so what's wrong with that? > Well, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm a middle-aged historian, so starting a video hosting platform is far beyond my expertise. Though in general asking someone "why don't you just go build it yourself" in response to a complaint about a service, software, or hardware item is a bit trite Popular web sites are typically co-founded by non-tech folks. Anyway, what I meant that if you looked into starting one, you'd understand the immense scale of storage and bandwidth costs.