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Thursday, December 16, 2021
Weird VPN use
When I am not in a mood to play a game, or feel too tired, I like watching YouTube videos, mostly about games. But as YouTube Premium is excessively expensive, I am using the free version with ads. The only problem with that is that most of the ads that YouTube shows me are in Dutch, and I don't speak that language. So at first I tried to fiddle with all sorts of settings in YouTube and Google to tell them that I don't speak Dutch, but would be okay with German, English, or French. Nothing worked. My IP address in Belgium is in a Dutch-speaking location, and what all my experimentation showed me is that this is the one and only factor that determines advertising content. Which is stupid, but not unusually so. A lot of stuff on the internet completely ignores the possibility that you might be an expat who doesn't speak the local language. And in a place like Belgium, where language is a highly complicated topic (I do speak 2 Belgian languages, just not the third), I often run into language problems, because apparently the "inter" in internet doesn't stand for "international".
But a few weeks ago I signed up again for a VPN service, ExpressVPN, because that one works with Netflix, and I wanted access to the Netflix libraries of other countries. And I just realized that I can use that to solve my YouTube problems: If I pretend that I am in Germany, or England, or France, YouTube finally shows me advertising commercials that I can actually understand. Yeah, I still skip them as soon as possible, most of the time, but the bits I do see or can't avoid are a lot more interesting in a language I actually speak.
I admit that this is a very weird use of a VPN service. YouTube / Google should be interested in showing me advertisement that I can understand, so there not being any language option for ads is really counterproductive. I am now basically using a paid-for VPN service to overcome a settings design flaw of YouTube. This is the wonderfully weird world we live in.
- posted by Tobold @ 5:36 PM Permanent Link
Comments:
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Given that you're starting from the premise that you don't want to watch the commercials at all, why don't you just use an ad blocker for YouTube? I haven't seen an ad on YT (At least on my desktop PC) for... well, I'm not sure I've ever seen one.
I couldn't even tell you what blocker I use. I just took the top-rated one on Firefox Add-Ons when I installed Firefox about six years ago and it worked perfectly, immediately. I still see ads on YT when I watch on my tablet but only because I watch YT so rarely there I havn't bothered to dfo anything about it. I'm sure it would only take a few moments to block them.
I couldn't even tell you what blocker I use. I just took the top-rated one on Firefox Add-Ons when I installed Firefox about six years ago and it worked perfectly, immediately. I still see ads on YT when I watch on my tablet but only because I watch YT so rarely there I havn't bothered to dfo anything about it. I'm sure it would only take a few moments to block them.
Perhaps it will be quicker and easier for you to learn Dutch, rather than waiting for Google to change their ways :-)
In Windows, the standard go to blocker is "uBlock Origin", but I get the impression it doesn't do the Apple ecosystem. What does one browse with on an iPad? Is it some version of Safari? uBlock Origin works with "all Safari releases prior to 13", which I presume is an old one. I would assume there are perfectly good blockers available for you, just not that one.
I think the problem with the Apple iOS is that you *don’t* use a browser for most things, but use dedicated apps instead. There is a YouTube app, a Twitch app, etc.
I somewhat reluctantly pay for YouTube premium. It feels overpriced in comparison to Netflix / Prime etc. However I spend far more time watching YouTube than any other media service so in my case the time saving from not having to wait through all those ads makes it worth it. I am too old and too conscientious to mess with add blockers and I like the thought that content creators get some revenue from my monthly sub.
* build up image of Tobold being crushed *
(assumptions expectation mismanagement)
And here I thought you would understand as much Dutch as any Waal would understand when they wanted too :')
Anyways on the ad-blocking topic:
When using operating systems that are hostile to manipulation by the OWNER of a device (like apple a lot, windows as well, but still less), The solution lies sadly only in the network layer.
Very specialized dedicated equipment might be necessary in your case. This big device is colloquially known as Pi-hole. Very big, very expensive. /sarc
But yeah, a simple small cheap raspberry Pi with a specific software image plugged in to your modem/router can help any device in your home be mostly add-free.
(assumptions expectation mismanagement)
And here I thought you would understand as much Dutch as any Waal would understand when they wanted too :')
Anyways on the ad-blocking topic:
When using operating systems that are hostile to manipulation by the OWNER of a device (like apple a lot, windows as well, but still less), The solution lies sadly only in the network layer.
Very specialized dedicated equipment might be necessary in your case. This big device is colloquially known as Pi-hole. Very big, very expensive. /sarc
But yeah, a simple small cheap raspberry Pi with a specific software image plugged in to your modem/router can help any device in your home be mostly add-free.
I use Chrome on a Mac with UBlock:Origin and I don't get ads in Youtube period unless the creator puts them in the video.
Idk how much you pay for express vpn but PIA has a 3 year deal for $69 going on.
For iOS I think your ad free options are limited unless you jailbreak. One of the reasons I prefer Android over iOS is the freedom of being able to install apps like YouTube Vanced for ad free experiences.
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For iOS I think your ad free options are limited unless you jailbreak. One of the reasons I prefer Android over iOS is the freedom of being able to install apps like YouTube Vanced for ad free experiences.
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