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Google was ordered to identify people who watched certain YouTube videos. Privacy experts say the orders are unconstitutional. (www.forbes.com)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by ForgottenFlux to c/technology

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If the linked article has a paywall, you can access this archived version instead: https://archive.ph/zyhax

The court orders show the government telling Google to provide the names, addresses, telephone numbers and user activity for all Google account users who accessed the YouTube videos between January 1 and January 8, 2023. The government also wanted the IP addresses of non-Google account owners who viewed the videos.

“This is the latest chapter in a disturbing trend where we see government agencies increasingly transforming search warrants into digital dragnets. It’s unconstitutional, it’s terrifying and it’s happening every day,” said Albert Fox-Cahn, executive director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project. “No one should fear a knock at the door from police simply because of what the YouTube algorithm serves up. I’m horrified that the courts are allowing this.” He said the orders were “just as chilling” as geofence warrants, where Google has been ordered to provide data on all users in the vicinity of a crime.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Any of those punchable "react face" thumbnails. Dont care what the video is about, if it's got one of those stupid faces on it, straight to the fuckin' gulag!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

From the reports I've heard by amateur youtubers, those dumb face thumbnails actually do get them more traction

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The algorithm favors clickbait and dumb react thumbnails over regular videos because those are the videos that get "engagement". Even if said "engagement" is writing a comment about how much the video sucks, it's a win in YT's book.

[–] nomous 6 points 3 months ago

A major problem with media and algorithms today is exactly as you said. Engagement is engagement and they don't really care if you're raging or agreeing as long as you're Interacting.

[–] Cryophilia 1 points 3 months ago

Anyone who enjoys those videos should also be banned. From the internet.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I have an addon that just replaces all Youtube thumbnails with a random frame from the video.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/clickbait-remover-for-youtube/

https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/clickbait-remover-for-you/omoinegiohhgbikclijaniebjpkeopip?pli=1

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I've seen that before but the trouble with that add-on is it just replaces it with a random frame not necessarily one that's helpful or good. At least the stupid faces actually show you what the video is about.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

The DeArrow extension works with both ways:

If the community submits a thumbnail (you can vote on them) and a better video headline, that will be the default one. I always try to submit the most relevant thumbnail, even if it might be a spoiler one (it’s up to you if you are interested in the context or not).
In the absence of community submitted content, a random thumbnail will be used (still better than the stupid faces).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I highly recommend using DeArrow, from the same dev from SponsorBlock.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Nah, I'd rather just not even consume the media. Especially considering video is mostly entertainment media anyways; anything actually useful hidden behind one of those stupid faces, I'll just find an alternative source.