Post B0s75JQCbbghO7eug4 by dnkboston@apobangpo.space
(DIR) More posts by dnkboston@apobangpo.space
(DIR) Post #B0s69Z5WCTy9BGRqPQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-03T12:36:20Z
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Amazon might not notice that you stopped shopping with them* but if you take that same modest bit of disposable income and spend it on art bought directly from artists, the small electronics projects of your friends, helping people in dire financial situations and the the local theater all of those people WILL notice. It will have a massive impact. *But, also Amazon does notice. Especially as more and more people do this.
(DIR) Post #B0s6Nf6obyK1uNmDlw by toerror@mastodon.gamedev.place
2025-12-03T12:38:50Z
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@futurebird I cancelled prime on prime day. I like to imagine Jeff Bezos shouting at the sky that I "ruined his prime day!". ( One can dream. )
(DIR) Post #B0s6e3s6JPprLFiKX2 by MisuseCase@twit.social
2025-12-03T12:41:47Z
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@futurebird I heard Amazon makes more money from advertising than from selling goods. They will notice reduced traffic on their site because people are avoiding them.
(DIR) Post #B0s6elGMz3nXuyOopU by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-03T12:41:56Z
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Maybe you think "I can't cut out X just yet" and there are practical reasons that make it hard. That's fine, but keep thinking about it. You can find a way to wiggle free. It's OK if it takes some time and planning.
(DIR) Post #B0s6o7FMcNcShoOCmm by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-03T12:43:40Z
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The next big one I want gone from my life is YouTube. This one is hard, though. I think the first step would be to at least use the alternatives for those creators I like who bother to offer one. I don't know how I'll wriggle free from YouTube just yet, but I'm not giving up on it because it's "hard" --
(DIR) Post #B0s6rl375e6b1GOc4G by albertcardona@mathstodon.xyz
2025-12-03T12:44:14Z
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@futurebird Plus, Amazon is now hard work: the actual good deals are hidden and one ends up paying up more just out of convenience."Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?" by Doctorow – an extract from his book in enshitification.https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/05/way-past-its-prime-how-did-amazon-get-so-rubbish
(DIR) Post #B0s6sm5QicOMWgxqvQ by futurebird@sauropods.win
2025-12-03T12:44:31Z
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Right not "no YouTube" would mean just not seeing a lot of videos that I want to see. But, not as many as I think. 🤔
(DIR) Post #B0s75JQCbbghO7eug4 by dnkboston@apobangpo.space
2025-12-03T12:46:39Z
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@futurebird I took a hard no YouTube stance a few months ago, and it's changed the way I consume the internet itself. There's a bunch I'm missing out on, but I feel better.I've softened a bit and watch some through my RSS reader...but there's more friction when I'm doing it, which forces me to be more conscious about it.
(DIR) Post #B0s7G4p5DuuTIRQhYu by StevenSaus@faithcollapsing.com
2025-12-03T12:48:39Z
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@futurebird The best solution I've found there is a combination of RSS feeds and yt-dlp (and making sure it credits the videos as being watched for the creator's metrics). That way I can avoid the "suggested videos" and comments and all that crap. This is the one I slapped together (and use), and yeah, being deliberate about it DEFINITELY changes the experience. https://github.com/uriel1998/ytcs
(DIR) Post #B0s7WXpP9OpLt6QsJU by movation@fnordon.de
2025-12-03T12:51:39Z
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@futurebird what really would make my life better: an option to exclude YouTube from any search results, unless I explicitly asked for them. Because it is exhaaaauuuusttttiiiiinnng. No, I don't need random person to explain in 4000 words and 4 ads what could have been 2 sentences in a blog post...
(DIR) Post #B0s7kq14KAbSLqhhVA by paulc@mstdn.social
2025-12-03T12:54:14Z
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@futurebird what drives me crazy is when I go out of the way to order from manufacturer, at a little higher price than Amazon, and then the product is shipped via Amazon anyway.
(DIR) Post #B0s7pj4PZqJYFxb9HM by phpete@mastodon.coffee
2025-12-03T12:55:07Z
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@futurebirdAgreed, this is a difficult one. The amount of small engine knowledge alone that I've picked up has saved me tons. Especially when you consider the stuff I "sort of" understood because of reading manuals and how-tos, but really grasped because of watching someone *do it*.Barring something completely new taking its place, YT will definitely be one of the last BigCorpInternet things I pull away from.
(DIR) Post #B0s8Hxq6G8HQAdMwZU by shtrom@piaille.fr
2025-12-03T13:00:10Z
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@futurebird The unhook browser extension https://unhook.app/ does a lot of clean-up on the UI, so you don't get distracted. You can remove all suggestions, links, autoplay, ...I found it killed the “oh, that video sound interesting, too” effect. I now only watch videos related to something I was deliberately searching for.Also good on kids' devices, with discussion of deliberate search vs. never-ending recommendations.
(DIR) Post #B0s9RZoWXXBoVUmNXc by crcollins@writing.exchange
2025-12-03T13:13:10Z
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@futurebird Nebula is a great channel for independent videos.
(DIR) Post #B0s9oTuIfRY6qcP2gq by Minimac@mastodon.world
2025-12-03T13:17:18Z
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@futurebird I can't believe my own eyes because I work amazon for almost 10 years. People keep addiction order those from third party items. Do they understand what is third party? I don't think so.
(DIR) Post #B0sB8ZLYFk8tSpIACG by jamesgbradbury@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T13:32:08Z
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@futurebird For anyone looking to opt out of as much surveillance capitalism as possible, this site is very helpful. https://www.optoutproject.net/#surveillancecapitalism #privacy #dataprivacy
(DIR) Post #B0sBrdTzin2fK6jMGG by QueerMatters@mstdn.social
2025-12-03T13:40:16Z
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@futurebird I’ve always said this. It’s about investing in local economies, and in small businesses. Investing in anything else just throws money into a black hole, never to be seen again.
(DIR) Post #B0sC7MpJPsQEIZCeLw by freequaybuoy@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T13:43:09Z
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@futurebird I tried Nebula and Curiosity Stream - they somewhat filled the stuff to fall asleep to niche, but still too many useful things on YouTube...
(DIR) Post #B0sCK1rafVg52xJ3OC by jerkedgherkins@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T13:45:25Z
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okay, but for real, supporting artists gives the vibes we need, unlike your local Bezos. buy that art and let the world feel your inner chaotic pickle!
(DIR) Post #B0sCUdF2YHoTrwKYee by danpmoore@mathstodon.xyz
2025-12-03T13:47:21Z
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@futurebird I am creating a video, but I'm not planning on uploading it to YouTube. (It's about a cool hiking trail near me.) Opinions about where I should upload it are welcome.
(DIR) Post #B0sDTrtMhFaOyGOMWe by perdidonavida@mstdn.party
2025-12-03T13:58:25Z
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@futurebird youtube is a really hard one, but I realized that sometimes there's no alternate service, and the alternative can be doing something else with my time. I ended up using less tech as a way to boycott big tech, and it's pretty effective. This can sound like a weird advice, but it's worth in the end. Many of us have some degree of addiction and excess of tech use anyway
(DIR) Post #B0sEMGPBlycqdRDOHQ by Phosphenes@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T14:08:11Z
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@futurebird Albeit corporate, I find YouTube still offers a lot of good content, both politically free and educational. Of course there's crap too, but it's easy to avoid.Whenever a creator I follow complains about censorship or 'the algorithm', I leave a comment describing PeerTube as an option.If I was a YT creator with a lot of followers I would mirror every video to PeerTube and link from the YT site. After a while the PT page would attract people directly.
(DIR) Post #B0sEj5D3Z2gmZZQBJw by TimWardCam@c.im
2025-12-03T14:12:20Z
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@futurebird All I had to do was refuse to specify my date of birth when they demanded it. I'm now locked out.
(DIR) Post #B0sHG5YvTPxH8CW5pI by Nomys_Tempar@framapiaf.org
2025-12-03T14:40:43Z
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@futurebird The thing behind the "Amazon won't notice" take is to shift the personal responsability society puts on us towards governements.The end is to take care of you and stop things, like shopping on Amazon, bit by bit, when you're ready to do so. Not because a moral injunction tells you to.
(DIR) Post #B0sHOel0VI86bRFjsW by GustavinoBevilacqua@mastodon.cisti.org
2025-12-03T14:42:17Z
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@futurebird I always try to use Invidious to link videos.
(DIR) Post #B0sHSTqB285Pu6UiLA by Kerplunk@mastodon.scot
2025-12-03T14:42:59Z
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@futurebird myrmepropagandistAmazon might not notice that you stopped shopping with themI am sure they do, after they gave trump bribe money at his inauguration I cancelled Prime, my purchases have dropped to below 100 Euro in that whole period. Before i was at just below 2000Euro per year.For some articles I have found no alternative, not yet. We should not forget how modern analysis tools work.Amazon gets about 30% on every purchase.Direct or from local dealers, is often cheaper.
(DIR) Post #B0sJFm2qEs4mVVUG2a by AsarSameer@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T15:03:05Z
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@futurebird This is great. It’s good to let go of things we don’t want in our lives that create a negative presence.How I wish I could let go of this tent that stood with me through the war, but it seems it won’t survive the harsh winter. 💔I want a home with walls, a door, and a lock to protect my children. With your help, it won’t be difficult. https://chuffed.org/project/131514-help-asar-and-her-family-survive-the-genocide
(DIR) Post #B0sJIDBEJzVXFFZaa0 by emilianosandri@mastodon.bsd.cafe
2025-12-03T15:03:31Z
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@futurebird As a Pokémon fan I feel this very much. In most cases I'd rather commission fan arts (and now even a couple pieces of home made merchandaise) than gorge on cards or get most of the unofficial merch (which in 99% of cases is pretty boring).
(DIR) Post #B0sJK2wHMvHk3tSG6S by LovingFalloutLondon1954@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T15:03:47Z
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@futurebird Using -site:amazon.com in my search criteria works wonders.I haven't bought anything from them in a year, but one item did get shipped via Amazon, which disappointed me. I think they have noticed because I get the occasional email regarding financing on my Amazon card.
(DIR) Post #B0sNHjOzR2q4hs2GaO by Nigel_Lake@mastodon.world
2025-12-03T15:48:15Z
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@futurebird My Amazon subscription expires on 23 December 😀
(DIR) Post #B0sNbPrtlqrjuowa1Y by teddythepreacher@mastodon.xyz
2025-12-03T15:51:49Z
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@futurebird if you stop shopping entirely even better. Then support #art absolutely 💯
(DIR) Post #B0sQ5Gh4e7783aF7zs by gunstick@mastodon.opencloud.lu
2025-12-03T16:19:22Z
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@futurebird I'm now over a year since I stopped buying from amazon. And they notice, as I have my wishlist there, and I put everywhere links to alternate sites where to get the items. Well it all got censored. I put the links back with commas instead of dots.Why did I stop? Because Bazos is a Nazi supporter since this happened:
(DIR) Post #B0sQkB1Ie68iKhD5bk by raika_amaris@mastodon.social
2025-12-03T16:27:01Z
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@futurebird For me, I realized that most of the videos I was watching on there didn't need the video component, so I downloaded AntennaPod and start listening to podcasts instead. It's worked beautifully! I've only opened YouTube once since then to view one specific video. I miss the creators I followed, but I've found lots of other wonderful people to listen to.
(DIR) Post #B0sT650LtIM9xKL41w by CurtAdams@urbanists.social
2025-12-03T16:53:19Z
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@futurebird I currently watch YouTube on Vivaldi with Ublock Origins. It works; I never see ads*; so I figure they're not getting any money from me and I don't mind using them.*In the past have had YouTube at times refuse to let me see vids. I have subscription to Nebula and CuriosityStream so I watch those instead for a day or to and then YouTube unblocks me. It's been months since this last happened, though.If YouTube really blocked me for my adblocker I'd stop watching.
(DIR) Post #B0sTskmBt8GtPMvMxc by stateofresearch@todon.eu
2025-12-03T17:02:10Z
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@futurebirdHow so many are still using Amazon, I remember and got curious why certain things cost less/more, after purchasing same thing.. I got off Amazon.
(DIR) Post #B0sU6QEr2lTLlXqijQ by stateofresearch@todon.eu
2025-12-03T17:04:40Z
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@futurebirdAs for Prime. Asked why leaving, answer: Jeff Bezos, needs to stop making money.
(DIR) Post #B0sbs5n74LwpvcYFea by wbpeckham@techhub.social
2025-12-03T18:31:43Z
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@futurebird I read voraciously and I have discovered that I can purchase a collection of ebooks from an author for about $25 to $30 that costs $75 to $150 through Amazon. My wife is no longer with us, but the last time I purchased jewelry for her, it was not from a jewelry store or Amazon. It was from a jeweler in the UK that made unique pieces that were high art and high quality and still did not run to over a hundred dollars. I no longer have a reason to buy jewelry, but I would finance that guy all year before I'd buy a piece from Amazon that would then ship from China.
(DIR) Post #B0scNySvqBVITXJYAq by emilianosandri@mastodon.bsd.cafe
2025-12-03T18:37:28Z
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@futurebird As a temporary stopgap have you considered to use extensions such as Unhook. They allow you to remove stuff you may find distracting or annoying. For example I used it to disable video suggestions since many of them tried to attract views appealing to fear with titles such as "This generation is DOOMED".
(DIR) Post #B0scWJEyU4X1DxlChE by emilianosandri@mastodon.bsd.cafe
2025-12-03T18:38:59Z
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@futurebird As a temporary stopgap have you considered to use extensions such as Unhook. They allow you to remove stuff you may find distracting or annoying. For example I used it to disable video suggestions since many of them tried to attract views appealing to viewers fear or inadequacy using clickbait titles and thumbnails.
(DIR) Post #B0se4frUz6zfBPjK8u by jill@mastodon.de
2025-12-03T18:56:20Z
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@futurebird proud azone free for ~10 years
(DIR) Post #B0sfPwKj2VXgIt6YMa by mtechman@mastodon.ie
2025-12-03T19:11:25Z
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@futurebird We diverted $18,000+ a year for 4 years from Amazon to a small rural bookstore via bookshop.org. We're lucky the school system didn't fight us (lots of entrenched you know), but our well-funded high school library did a good thing.
(DIR) Post #B0sgaNmJxD5cGzYVNo by johnefrancis@cosocial.ca
2025-12-03T19:24:28Z
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@futurebird I'm down something like 90% in 2025. If I can find it, I buy things at the local Canadian Tire. Some stuff I get direct from major brands' websites, like electronics from Samsung or Ubiquiti. Some I get from local locations of US retailers like Costco or BestBuy. Have been on AliExpress more lately. 2-3 weeks delivery is fine and the prices can't be beat. If those options don't work, I'll get it from Amazon or go without. 90% down.
(DIR) Post #B0snZVJn8QRh2yjuBU by HI_Greens@mastodon.scot
2025-12-03T20:42:48Z
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@futurebird Boycotts work.
(DIR) Post #B0sq77o9Fh4zsw68C8 by raphaelmorgan@disabled.social
2025-12-03T21:11:18Z
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@futurebird I'm hoping more Nebula-like projects pop up and/or more creators join. PeerTube would be even better, but right now it seems the main barrier to that move is monetization 😩 bc everyone's gotta eat but most viewers aren't willing to pay, so the videographers have to till the digital soil for pennies from advertisingThat said, those who take sponsorships... Idk why they would need to stay on YouTube lol
(DIR) Post #B0srcgKd2jJrtFty40 by mcsquank@mastodon.online
2025-12-03T21:28:10Z
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@futurebird i dropped prime and started using that money for pbs (which also has a streaming service) and moved to bookshop.org for books. and i have to say, w how horrible dealing w every aspect of big corps seems to be these days, bookshop.org even has the most reliable shipping.
(DIR) Post #B0syZS5WFAewWaF1Vo by ahimsa_pdx@disabled.social
2025-12-03T22:46:03Z
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@futurebird I know everyone cannot do this, so no shame, but one of the best decisions I made was to delete my Amazon account back in Jan. 2017!I like your idea of cutting out YouTube as well. I'm trying to de-Google my life but it will take a while!
(DIR) Post #B0t0cL0DFBqfKHGMxE by constancies@metalhead.club
2025-12-03T23:08:58Z
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@futurebird for my part, I spent so much time on YouTube in the past that it practically became an addiction. It was really difficult for me to stop using it but eventually I succeeded. Now I suddenly have a ton of extra time to do other things in my life! But I will miss some of the creators on there.
(DIR) Post #B0t3LeFOjq83x86DTM by kathimmel@mstdn.social
2025-12-03T23:39:33Z
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@futurebird you've probably already heard of freetube/invidious/piped, but i thought i'd mention them in case you've not. i adore freetube (when it's working).
(DIR) Post #B0tEFcJk6FnDj2SSoK by stevenaleach@sigmoid.social
2025-12-04T01:41:45Z
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@futurebird YouTube is a hard one - there's not much in the way of any other platform that folks are really moving to.I *Did* discover that one playlist (A rust language course) I'd had bookmarked on YouTube is also on #PeerTube which I take as a positive sign that the platform might be getting large/popular enough to go somewhere.But YouTube is just the default way we have of uploading and sharing content right now and it sucks because it would be entirely unusable without an ad blocker.
(DIR) Post #B0tHeMiJYD2KQwRa7s by Fat_Farang@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T02:19:50Z
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@futurebird Degoogling takes some effort and determination. Google Maps was my hardest addiction to kick.
(DIR) Post #B0tOjHYIrrW7YK3L8K by artemis@dice.camp
2025-12-04T03:39:08Z
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@futurebird This is the tough one for me. There is stuff I would genuinely miss, stuff that I really value, that I would be missing without YouTube.And yet...I want to be free of it.I think the AI slop gradually taking over the platform will probably make it a lot easier soon. I'm not going to keep wading through slop. The experience is just getting worse & worse every day. So yeah, that helps. 😅
(DIR) Post #B0tVDu6QhanZWk03v6 by bjb@fosstodon.org
2025-12-04T04:51:54Z
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@futurebird I've stopped looking at the YouTube videos linked from here. Often when I followed those links I regretted it anyway.There are very few that I really want to see. And I am practicing not looking at those either.I never just browse YouTube to pass the time. That's asking to be insulted. (I am bashing YouTube, not commenting on anyone else with this statement.)
(DIR) Post #B0uNJ4OPGbLMPhJx8i by jrdepriest@infosec.exchange
2025-12-04T14:57:55Z
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@futurebird Many of the creators I like are on Nebula.If you like science docs, you can get Curiosity Stream.If you want to watch the original source of all the Brennan Lee Mulligan clips you see, you can get Dropout.Support your local PBS and get to stream it using PBS PassportLike movies? The Criterion ChannelShudderNone of these are free, but they aren't that expensive; PBS Passport can be as low as $5.00 a month, for example, and you get to watch Henry Louis Gates, Jr. make celebrities squirm on "Finding Your Roots"!Bonus: none of them are massive, shitty companies run by sociopathic assholes (as far as I know).#Streaming #StreamingWars #StreamingAlternatives #NebulaTV #CuriosityStream #DropoutTV #PBS #PBSPassport #TheCriterionChannel #Shudder
(DIR) Post #B285ZtwlGt3rIaI8mG by chiraag@mastodon.online
2026-01-10T03:37:12Z
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@futurebird Like a few others in this thread, Nebula and Dropout are my primary platforms for video content nowadays. I still use YT, mainly for creators who are not on any other platforms, and I rarely use the official YT app (usually NewPipe on Android or yt-dlp on the computer). It's not perfect, but I've gotten my YT usage down by ~80%.