YouTube Free November

[Melooon]

Recently I've been watching far too much YouTube and I think its been getting in the way of me enjoying other media and getting things done, so I've decided to take the rest of November off from YouTube to break the habit 

It seems like it might be a challenge and something that some of you out there might also be interested in, so I thought I'd create this thread to keep tabs on it and also let anyone join in if they also wish to take part 

Here are the ground rules:

• No browsing YouTube online or with apps!
• Looking at YouTube embeds is ok, as long as they are posted or sent to you by another human (Patreon supporter videos are ok since there wont be that many)
• Exceptions are allowed if you are following a tutorial/lesson, or need a visual guide for something, as long as you stick to that guide series.
• Wherever possible alternatives to YouTube should be used before defaulting to YouTube.
• If you have downloaded archives of YouTube videos those are ok to watch, but no new downloads for the month.

As an additional aid I've installed the Block Site Firefox extension and blocked YouTube.com ~ this is an optional step but it helps add some friction to visiting YouTube. (This also means I cant watch links people send me this month)

I will report back as the month progresses and I look forward to hearing if anyone else decides to give up YouTube for the month

[dream]

I’ll join ya. I’ve managed to avoid most apps and social media platforms, but YouTube and Reddit can get me. Last week, I racked up 2 hours of YouTube and 20 minutes on Reddit on my phone.

In addition to block site browser extensions like what @Melooon mentioned, for mobile, can also enable or schedule Downtime feature on iOS to block all but a short list of essential apps. Another option is setting up screen time limits per app (e.g. 10 min a day, only on weekends). Or, of course, outright delete the app.

[Cobra!]

This sounds like a nice challenge! I'm down! I guess I'll write about it after it's all done on my website!

[candycanearter07]

This seems interesting, but I don't like being alone with my thoughts.. on the other hand, I have a whole bunch of 10 hour videos and the entire vinesause corruptions playlist saved for just in case, so...

[imnotjahan]

Sounds fun. I only look at YouTube to watch one youtuber these days anyways, so going without it for a while shouldn't be too bad. I suppose that kind of defeats the point of it being a challenge if it's not very challenging, so maybe I'll try cutting out something else as well. A late-fall lent.

[Cobra!]

I just had a thought: What if we extended this and the challenge could be to avoid all big tech websites. Calling it “Old Net November”?

There would be exceptions like using Discord for help, or using social media for marketing a project you’re working on.

What do you guys think?

[eezstreet]

I like this idea. For me personally, this wouldn't have much of an impact on my life though. Generally I don't really use YouTube that much any more these days due to lack of time - I only watch one or two videos here or there when I am having lunch on a Work-From-Home day.

Maybe a more impactful (and perhaps, concise, given the number of stipulations and conditions in the OP) event would be something more akin to an Internet Prohibition. In the States we generally think of the Prohibition Movement as being some old kooky religious thing where people tried and failed to ban alcohol, but really it was more about liberating people from the temptations of alcohol and saloons. I can see some parallels here with something akin to pornography, doomscrolling and engagement traps that you see in modern Web 2.0 trappings.

[StrawberrySys]

I know a couple days late but id love to join! I need time to flesh out my “Greatest Works” site and also wanting to connect it to some rings

[Melooon]

I have an additional challenge for people! That is not wearing headphones/earphones in public spaces. I'm not making official rules about how to do it since its more about just finding a personal balance.

In general I realize that for me, YT was just one part of feeling a general media overload; so Iv been trying to enjoy hearing the sounds round me and being in silence ~ particularly on busses or when going around town.

I think its very easy to slip into using music as a wall between you and the world, rather than using it to enhance your experience of the world, and that's a trap Iv been in for a little while ~ I'd like to change that!   

[garystu]

task already failed, but I might try it another month. Or maybe I'll do the last week of this month, seven days without Youtube is bigger than the everyday use I partake in.

• Looking at YouTube embeds is ok, as long as they are posted or sent to you by another human

I like this rule. I just need to find a place to lurk that gives good recommendations.

I feel like a side effect of algorithm reliance is that people are less likely to actively recommend videos, instead taking impersonal algorithm pleasing actions on a video they want to be seen more. I would like to see less impersonal algorithm pleasing action taking.

I am aware of this thread on the forums. It's a good thread, and I need to comb through it more thoroughly. I do think this and a lot of other media threads on this site feel one sided, where a user just dumps a huge pile of links and never reads anyone elses post. The solution would be to reply more, a solution I should just partake in instead of chiding everyone else.


Here are some "de-algorithm"ing rules. I don't follow them myself yet, but I hope to get in these habits.

• Do not hit either the Like or Dislike button, or any buttons significant to the algorithm.
• Do not comment on a video, on Youtube. You can provide commentary by contacting the creator on other social media. If you have a big response, post your replies on your personal blog.
• When you share a video, don't let Youtube track where that share came from. Always remove the extra share=?numbers from the end of URLs.
• Watch Youtube with an alternative frontend, preferably one which doesn't let the site track you.

[lime360]

is it okay if i watch youtube videos through invidous (or any other youtube frontend) duting the challenge?

[Misanthropic Monster™]

I'm a bit late to this thread, but I'd like to also give this a go. It's funny because I honestly feel like I waste too much time on YT watching sludge content, instead of watching actual stuff I wanna watch on Netflix or Shudder. I think it's cos YT has this feeling of comfort because I am watching people do their life stuff but it's a habit I wanna get out of cos I actually hate YT as a company/platform and YT is the one social media site I can't seem to chuck lol. This thread has definitely inspired me.

[candycanearter07]

This seems interesting, but I don't like being alone with my thoughts.. on the other hand, I have a whole bunch of 10 hour videos and the entire vinesause corruptions playlist saved for just in case, so...

Any tips to actually commit to it?? I've tried multiple times over the last week but couldn't

[Oceansandy02]

I'm going to start trying this today. I want to stop my youtube addiction, as I notice it watch shorts to much, even though I want to stop doing so. Thank you for that idea. I also want to try this with lurking on reddit, too, as I also hate that platform. Also, I feel like youtube counts as social media, too.

[WK_0]

Glad to see others giving this little challenge a try! I've actually done this before as a mental de-cluttering method. For those who're habitual like I am it can be a bit rough on the first week or so, but trust me the urges start to smooth out after sometime. It's simply a matter of repeating the process as best as you can, day by day. For those giving it a go, y'all got this!

For anyone in need of some tips on how or where to start, mine is to find at least one thing to do by yourself or with a friend every day or every other day. It can either be off the big social media sites/endless content feeds, off the connected net, or off the computer, depending on how strict you wanna go. Got any personal projects lying around that need working on? Chores? Books or movies or games you've been meaning to consume? Even just making anything in the moment like some doodles or scribblings or even weird generated stuff from random text/image sites can count (you have no idea how much time I spent on the Make Wordart site just today, it is addicting). The main jist is whatever you choose to do has to at least keep your brain juices flowing, so it makes weaning off of your usual sites a little easier.

Another option is to journal your journey for the month. I've done it before so I can keep track of where my thoughts went during my content fastings, and as a means to self-contemplate on why I depended so much on watching and re-watching random videos, whether they were educational or not. This can be recorded for other sites too, like Twitter and Tumblr and the likes of every endless content feed out there, whatever you're choosing to drop for the month. Of course, journaling doesn't specifically have to be for self-contemplation purposes it can be just for fun. In fact I only advise those who're comfortable digging into their own heads a little to go the self-contemplating route.

But that's all just things I've done personally. Come to think of it, I could do with going at it again with y'all as I've been watching more Youtube vids than necessary as of late. Kinda been in a bit of a motivational slump which has been contributing to the increase. This hamster needs a wheel to run on!