Recently, YouTube started adding a tracking parameter to their share URLs, when using the “share” button on a video. With this, they can track who is sharing videos with who, and under some circumstances even how they are shared. The tracker starts with the question mark in the link you posted and the link works perfectly fine without that part.

This says otherwise

This is pretty much where I’m at. It’s too difficult to fully stop data collection without having to live off the grid, but I sure as shit will block every single ad on my devices. So really they can collect as much data as they want but I won’t let them use it to sell me their garbage.

At least 4GB, my previous employer was a young guy that was an Apple simp. He bought a bunch of Mac minis as desktop computers and they only had 4GB of RAM. They were the most garbage piece of shit computer I have ever had the displeasure of being forced to use. It really wasn’t even usable, it would lock up just trying to open any web browser or even the file explorer (or whatever Apple calls it). It really amazes me how Apple continues to shit in their customers mouths, tell them it’s chocolate ice cream and they believe them

Haha, spot on. I guess you’ve encountered this too?

It’s working less and less though. You can’t do this on websites like Wall Street Journal or Bloomberg because the article doesn’t actually load more than the first paragraph without being subscribed.

Use a VPN like Mullvad that has an ad block built in. It doesn’t allow ads to load in any apps, it’s really nice. I’m sure they can still collect all kinds of data but at least the ads are taken care of.

I was trying to read an article the other day and they had a reject all cookies button. When this is an option I always use it but this one redirected me to a page that told me they won’t let me view their articles if I don’t let them track me. It went on to talk about some bullshit sob story about how it’s the only way they can be profitable and that they pinky promise to be responsible with the data collected.

Wdym not feasible? I’m currently doing it on a non rooted android device using Mullvad VPN. Not sure what the telco has to do with ads but you can remove all of that bloatware using adb anyways.

Ads can actually be blocked in apps if you use a VPN that has the ability. Though not all apps will function with a VPN enabled

The US hasn’t succeeded because they haven’t really done shit. They will help people detox if they have insurance, or people can go to a state-run facility, which in most cases are horribly depressing jail-like environments. In those places they sell you the cure, which is a program developed by a guy in the 1930s based on an evangelical Christian program for sobriety. I’m sure you can guess but this program requires a belief in God to become sober and live a fulfilling life. You might hear about so called amazing treatment facilities but those places cost thousands of dollars a day, push the same “cure”, and good luck getting insurance to pay for it.

Because my parents pay for it and it still works in my and my brother’s houses despite the no password sharing thing. We are still frequently using it in 5 different households and Netflix has yet to tell us we’re being charged extra for doing so.

Just curious, is there a specific reason you keep data and wifi off unless you’re using them?

Wow, I would immediately return any TV that pulled that bs. I have used Sony TV’s for a very long time and have never encountered this issue, I even bought a new one in summer 2022 and it did not require Internet connection to function.

I think they’re just implying that even if YouTube figures out how to block adblock, someone will just find a way to block the adblock block and so on ad infinitum. It will just be the same game of cat and mouse we’ve been playing for years with the intrusive ad business.

Or you could just use a new tv with smart features and never connect it to your network. It’s what I’ve done with all the TVs in my house and I simply use an external device I trust to stream.

Not really but you can always get a “smart” tv and never connect it to the Internet. If you want to stream just use an external device you trust like a PC

LG ending their mobile division really sucked, the V series phones were some of the best phones ever imo. I really miss my V30, the quad DAC was awesome and the camera was actually pretty amazing too. They also weren’t bloated with unremovable shit like flagships are nowadays.

So I’m really confused about the whole Netflix thing. It hasn’t asked me to set a household location and the whole no password sharing thing was supposed to have taken effect back in May, right? Since May, my family has continued to use Netflix as if nothing has changed and we said if they try to charge us extra, we will cancel. Our Netflix is regularly used at 4 different “households” and they have yet to charge a fee and have not automatically set a household like they claimed they would.