MX Linux Forum

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 11:18 am
Don't you use Youtube, or Gmail? Maybe one can get rid of Gmail, but Youtube? This is a hard one.

If you have cookies removed at close of browser, use something like ublock origin and dont log into anything before going to youtube it is now horrible. (And no, some of us RARELY go on youtube at all - and only for some music.)

However, if you really want to take control... have a look at this page

https://nomoregoogle.com/

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:09 pm

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 11:18 am
Don't you use Youtube, or Gmail? Maybe one can get rid of Gmail, but Youtube? This is a hard one.

If you have cookies removed at close of browser, use something like ublock origin and dont log into anything before going to youtube it is now horrible. (And no, some of us RARELY go on youtube at all - and only for some music.)

However, if you really want to take control... have a look at this page

https://nomoregoogle.com/

There are a lot to learn on Youtube, not only linux. I activated Adblock from Settings and use for this forum Librewolf (with Strict and delete cookies when out). Still need to install here ublock origin extension? It is better to open Youtube with another browser, say for example Brave, or can I open it in Librewolf, even if I'm logged in this forum? I assume that I should not log in Gmail account with this laptop to not get fingerprint associated with my external iP address (it's dinamic, but anyways).
Thanks for the advice and the link.

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:31 pm

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:09 pm

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 11:18 am
Don't you use Youtube, or Gmail? Maybe one can get rid of Gmail, but Youtube? This is a hard one.

If you have cookies removed at close of browser, use something like ublock origin and dont log into anything before going to youtube it is now horrible. (And no, some of us RARELY go on youtube at all - and only for some music.)

However, if you really want to take control... have a look at this page

https://nomoregoogle.com/

There are a lot to learn on Youtube, not only linux. I activated Adblock from Settings and use for this forum Librewolf (with Strict and delete cookies when out). Still need to install here ublock origin extension? It is better to open Youtube with another browser, say for example Brave, or can I open it in Librewolf, even if I'm logged in this forum? I assume that I should not log in Gmail account with this laptop to not get fingerprint associated with my external iP address (it's dinamic, but anyways).
Thanks for the advice and the link.

You can definitely run a private window or secondary web browser. I use firefox, and delete everything when I close it ( and I dont browse longer than around 10 or so sites unless I close it and kill everything ( this forum excluded) .

But often I use new private window to isolate and open something too (amazon, or another 'invasive' shop etc) . There are quite a few methods you can use to lose trackers and history's.

Eadwine Rose wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 11:34 am There is Freetube.

For this one I assume I have to install the flatpak freetube?

No, there is an appimage as well as a deb installer on their website.

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

I almost never use Youtube directly, I use LibRedirect but since Youtube's been at battle with everyone (UBO, etc.), LibRedirect is not nearly as functional as it used to be as I have to keep "Shift+Alt+L" – To switch to a different instance and it's not nearly as good as it was.
Additionally, invidious instances are down to about 6 (with maybe only 2 two working) whereas they used to have maybe 3 dozen or more.

One thing that usually works when all else fails is pasting the invidious url inside Freetube.

https://api.invidious.io/?sort_by=version
https://redirect.invidious.io/ There is another similar youtube fronted.
https://libredirect.github.io/docs.html
https://alternativeto.net/software/invidious/
https://github.com/pluja/awesome-privac ... d-managers

Search for youtube frontends, I have over a dozen YT alternatives or frontends bookmarked.
Search Privacy guides, EFF, etc.
Haven't tried farside yet.

To update Freetube flatpak: Cheers

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:47 pm No, there is an appimage as well as a deb installer on their website.

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

IIRC I grabbed the deb.

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:47 pm No, there is an appimage as well as a deb installer on their website.

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

Thank you, Charles. I installed Freetube from .deb file. It's great. There are on Freetube all my subscriptions from Youtube. I think I can get rid of Youtube, finally. No adds, to tracking, @runwiththedolphin is there, great. Just, I can't figure how to write comments. I see people commenting there, but there is no reply button.

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 6:48 pm

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:47 pm No, there is an appimage as well as a deb installer on their website.

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

Thank you, Charles. I installed Freetube from .deb file. It's great. There are on Freetube all my subscriptions from Youtube. I think I can get rid of Youtube, finally. No adds, to tracking, @runwiththedolphin is there, great. Just, I can't figure how to write comments. I see people commenting there, but there is no reply button.

Your very welcome. Reply is only for logged in users ... and there goes your privacy :-)

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 7:25 pm

danux wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 6:48 pm

CharlesV wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 12:47 pm No, there is an appimage as well as a deb installer on their website.

https://freetubeapp.io/#download

Thank you, Charles. I installed Freetube from .deb file. It's great. There are on Freetube all my subscriptions from Youtube. I think I can get rid of Youtube, finally. No adds, to tracking, @runwiththedolphin is there, great. Just, I can't figure how to write comments. I see people commenting there, but there is no reply button.

Your very welcome. Reply is only for logged in users ... and there goes your privacy :-)

Yes, and sorry to say there goes Freetube too, since it's buggy, not all videos are working. I rejoiced to soon. Now I gave up after trying all the Local API and Invidious API instances BULL!!!T, that doesn't work. Back to Youtube. I think I will do the browser compartmentalization: Youtube, Gmail, Amazon on chromium or brave, internet browsing and forum on librewolf, and call it a day.