YouTube

2026-02-21T19:59:08Z

Hendrix: /* Incidents */ API restrictions

{{ProductLineCargo
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=Streaming, Video
|Company=Google
|Description=
|InProduction=Yes
|Logo=YouTube.png
|ReleaseYear=2005
|Website=https://youtube.com
}}

'''{{Wplink|YouTube}}''', founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, is a global video-sharing platform and one of the most visited websites in the world. Acquired by [[Google]] in 2006, YouTube has since become the dominant platform for sharing videos on the internet.

YouTube's business model is built around advertising revenue, with creators earning money through ad views, subscriptions, and other monetization options. The platform hosts a wide range of content, including music videos, tutorials, news, video logs ("vlogs"), and live streams. YouTube has also begun offering subscription services, such as YouTube Premium and YouTube TV, for ad-free experiences, exclusive content, and live television.

YouTube has faced criticism and regulatory scrutiny on multiple fronts. Concerns have been raised about content moderation policies, the platform's role in the spread of misinformation, and its impact on user privacy, particularly in relation to data collection practices. Additionally, YouTube has been under fire for its algorithms, which some argue promote harmful or divisive content to maximize engagement.

==Consumer impact summary==
*'''User freedom:''' Questionable; rampant bots and [[Elsagate]] suggest negligent moderation.
*'''User privacy:''' Poor; Since August 2025, accessing mature content without identification is a gamble. User data is also sold to advertisers and the site is owned by [[Google]].
*'''Business model:''' [[Advertising overload|Excessive advertising]], YouTube Premium, YouTube Premium Lite
*'''Market competition:''' Despite several platforms that follow its niche, such as Odysee, [[PeerTube]], and [[DailyMotion]], they provide no significant competition.

==Incidents==
===Elsagate===
{{Main|Elsagate}}

The first "Elsagate" incident arose sometime during the mid-2010s on YouTube, though it was not discovered and named until 2016. It has since been used as a catch-all term for content that appears child-friendly at first glance but, in actuality, contains suggestive or outright illicit material targeted at minors. This is accomplished by using major intellectual properties for children, such as the Elsa character from the 2013 [[Disney]] film ''{{Wplink|Frozen (2013 film)|Frozen}}'' and [[Minecraft]].

Although the problem is not unique to the YouTube platform, its dominance in the video sphere makes it an attractive target.

===Restricting users that don't share their personal information===
{{Main|YouTube age verification}}

On 30 July 2025, in response to the [[UK Online Safety Act]], YouTube announced a verification update that asks for either a government-issued ID, a photo, or credit card, otherwise they could not access content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Michael |title=YouTube is Rolling Out A New Controversial Feature |url=https://gamerant.com/youtube-new-age-verification-feature-id-recognition/ |website=GameRant |date=30 Jul 2025 |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730234131/https://gamerant.com/youtube-new-age-verification-feature-id-recognition/ |archive-date=30 Jul 2025}}</ref>

YouTube will estimate the age of a user from various sources, including the videos watched, and will ask for previously mentioned personal information when it believes that the user falls below 18.

===Advertising overload on YouTube===
{{Main|Advertising overload}}

Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |website=33rd Square |date=20 Jan 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.md/0x7Q3 |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu
|title=YouTube tests longer CTV ad breaks |url=https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |website=Search Engine Land |date=16 Aug 2024 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816143812/https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |archive-date=16 Aug 2024}}</ref>), increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Arol |title=YouTube is Adding Even More Ads |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |website=How-To-Geek |date=26 Apr 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192258/https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |archive-date=26 Apr 2024}}</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |author=T3rr0r |title=BAD Mobile Game Ads |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |website=YouTube |date=17 Oct 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Knoblauch |first=Max |title=Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? |url=https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |website=Sherwood News |date=14 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614151756/https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |archive-date=14 Jun 2024}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |author=Saberspark |title=The DISGUSTING State of Mobile Game Ads (and why YouTube LOVES IT) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |website=YouTube |date=18 Sep 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AEC |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206072120/https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AED |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Furthermore, even if a user pays for YouTube premium, they do not necessarily receive an ad-free experience<ref>{{Cite web |author=CaptainMystery_123 |title=I have YouTube premium, why am I getting adds. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18ll7y6/i_have_youtube_premium_why_am_i_getting_adds/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=18 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250525154227/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18ll7y6/i_have_youtube_premium_why_am_i_getting_adds/ |archive-date=25 May 2025}}</ref> — they may still see ads within the video they watch, such as sponsored segments.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Adamya |title=Can you still see ads if you have YouTube Premium? Here's what Google has to say |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/remove-youtube-premium-ads-3384953/ |website=Android Authority |date=10 May 2024 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/MaEW9 |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</ref> YouTube has added a "skip" feature, but it has been reported that this does not work consistently.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Anurag |title=YouTube now lets you skip sponsored segments — but you’ll have to pay for it |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtube-now-lets-you-skip-sponsored-segments-but-youll-have-to-pay-for-it-2872784/ |website=Dexerto |date=22 Aug 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240822211151/https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/youtube-now-lets-you-skip-sponsored-segments-but-youll-have-to-pay-for-it-2872784/ |archive-date=22 Aug 2024}}</ref>

====Refusal to handle malicious ads====
A common phenomenon on YouTube's advertisements is content that is mature and/or malicious in nature.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Beyond The Internet |title=YouTube Ads are inappropriate... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 |website=YouTube |date=22 Feb 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=_B2KdIoRVo8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2025}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Adamya |title=Explicit ads are plaguing YouTube, and it’s only getting worse
|url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-explicit-ads-problem-3520285/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127062033/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-explicit-ads-problem-3520285/ |archive-date=27 Jan 2025}}</ref> The content of these advertisements include pornography,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Saberspark |title=YouTube's Ads Have Hit A New Low...(it's literally p*rn) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI |website=YouTube |date=31 Mar 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=cW4On_gWAvI |archive-date=2 Apr 2025}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> false advertising,<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" /> scams,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Jakob_G |title=YouTube doesn't want to take down scam ads |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18gjiqy/youtube_doesnt_want_to_take_down_scam_ads/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=12 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231217150604/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18gjiqy/youtube_doesnt_want_to_take_down_scam_ads/ |archive-date=17 Dec 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=JerryRigEverything |title=I CAUGHT THE YOUTUBE SCAMMER - $1000 dollars EVERY DAY?! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROF9Dd7FXA |website=YouTube |date=9 Mar 2023 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=iROF9Dd7FXA |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=LoganAH |title=Why does YouTube run blatant scams as advertisements? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18osjs6/why_does_youtube_run_blatant_scams_as/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=22 Dec 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250713054442/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/18osjs6/why_does_youtube_run_blatant_scams_as/ |archive-date=13 Jul 2025}}</ref> and far more. Rather than working towards clearing these ads, or acknowledging this advertising content that has been harming consumers on the platform, YouTube moderation has only cut the revenue for these videos that attempt to call out these ads,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Deep Humor |title=Watch This Before YouTube Deletes It. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRpECEQ0-hg |website=YouTube |date=24 Feb 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=QRpECEQ0-hg |archive-date=26 Feb 2025}}</ref> which has been known to make said videos be less-showcased.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |author=Sealow |title=Extensive evidence of algorithm censorship of demonetised videos |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3H8D2LrLHc |website=YouTube |date=29 Nov 2017 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=n3H8D2LrLHc |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |author=Karlaplan |title=Monetisation analysis / research
|url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/155yNpfR7dGKuN-4rbrvbJLcJkhGa_HqvVuyPK7UEfPo/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.jou9rc5d49jl |website=[[Google]] |date=20 Nov 2017 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://consumerrights.wiki/w/File:Karlaplan_Monetisation_analysis_research_.pdf |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</ref>

===Demonetization and censorship===
Since at least 2016, YouTube has had an extensive record of censoring content that is demonetized.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" /> Within understandable circumstances, legitimately malicious or offensive videos would be demonetized and should not be shown on the platform; however, how videos are considered to be demonetized has had a harmful impact upon both viewers and content creators. Transgender creators on YouTube, for example, have experienced unfair censorship via demonetization since 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Disney |first=Malia |title=Trans YouTubers Say They Are Being Censored. Is It The Algorithm? |url=https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/ |website=Youth Radio Media
|date=4 May 2018 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130035845/https://archive.yr.media/journalism/outloud/trans-youtubers-say-they-are-being-censored-and-an-algorithm-may-be-to-blame/ |archive-date=30 Jan 2023}}</ref> Content creators affected by this unfairly balanced moderation via algorithms<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cantz |first=Randy |title=Adpocalypse: How YouTube Demonetization Imperils the Future of Free Speech |url=https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/ |website=Berkeley Political Review |date=1 May 2018 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424095310/https://bpr.studentorg.berkeley.edu/2018/05/01/adpocalypse-how-youtube-demonetization-imperils-the-future-of-free-speech/ |archive-date=24 Apr 2024}}</ref> have dubbed these events as "adpocalypses".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |title=YouTubers fear looming ‘adpocalypse’ after child exploitation controversy
|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse |website=The Verge |date=20 Feb 2019 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220205927/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/20/18231561/youtube-child-exploitation-predators-controversy-creators-adpocalypse |archive-date=20 Feb 2019}}</ref>

====Irresponsibly automated moderation====
When YouTube integrated the ability to take down videos via the [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]] (DMCA), they decided to often handle take-down requests in an automated manner.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Jines |first=Chuck |title=ABUSE – How DMCA automated takedown notices violate free speech |url=https://www.chuckjines.com/abuse-dmac-automated-takedown-notices-and-free-speech/ |website=Chuck Jines |date=4 Mar 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303201747/https://www.chuckjines.com/abuse-dmac-automated-takedown-notices-and-free-speech/ |archive-date=3 Mar 2025}}</ref> This automation has led to an excess in fraudulent DMCA take-downs of content,<ref>{{Cite web |author=itanshi |title=I'd like to talk about the problem with anonymous DMCA take down notices. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/5zzr9c/id_like_to_talk_about_the_problem_with_anonymous/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=27 Mar 2017 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606184354/https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/5zzr9c/id_like_to_talk_about_the_problem_with_anonymous/ |archive-date=6 Jun 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=The Last Civil Rights Lawyer |title=“Lackluster” Gets a Fraudulent Copyright Strike for Dashcam Footage and Now We Sue |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPqtT88PT9Y |website=YouTube |date=21 Jul 2021 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=rPqtT88PT9Y |archive-date=2 Feb 2026}}</ref> even going so far as to have [[Bungie]] call out YouTube in a legal case for their negligence.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin
|first=John |title=Bungie slams YouTube’s DMCA system in lawsuit against ''Destiny'' takedown fraudsters |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/03/bungie-slams-youtubes-dmca-system-in-lawsuit-against-destiny-takedown-fraudsters/ |website=Ars Technica |date=28 Mar 2022 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329203809/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/03/bungie-slams-youtubes-dmca-system-in-lawsuit-against-destiny-takedown-fraudsters/ |archive-date=29 Mar 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maxwell |first=Andy |title=Digital Trails: How Bungie Identified a Mass Sender of Fake DMCA Notices |url=https://torrentfreak.com/digital-trails-how-bungie-identified-a-mass-sender-of-fake-dmca-notices-220624/ |website=TorrentFreak |date=24 Jun 2022 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220624070824/https://torrentfreak.com/digital-trails-how-bungie-identified-a-mass-sender-of-fake-dmca-notices-220624/ |archive-date=24 Jun 2022}}</ref> These take-down requests have ranged from users impersonating corporations, to users impersonating other users.<ref name=":3" />

===Crackdown against ad-blockers===

The prevalence of advertising on the platform, coupled with the repeated appearance of harmful and deceptive ads within YouTube's advertising system, led a significant number of users to employ ad-blocking tools to facilitate their viewing experience.

In response, Google initiated technical countermeasures to limit the functionality of these tools. This has resulted in an ongoing cycle where ad-blocker developers adapt to new restrictions, and the platform subsequently implements further detection methods. A key strategy in this effort involves the implementation of advanced code integrity checks designed to ensure ad content is delivered to viewers.

However, these measures typically exhibit limited efficacy before ad-blocking tools develop new methods of circumvention,<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Flaherty |first=Kate |title=YouTube’s Ad Blocker Ban Just Got Even Bigger |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |url-access=subscription |website=Forbes |date=20 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240620123932/https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2024/06/20/youtubes-ad-blocker-ban-just-got-even-bigger/ |archive-date=20 Jun 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |title=YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown escalates, aggravating users |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/ |website=Ars Technica |date=1 Nov 2023 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101170643/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/11/youtube-tries-to-kill-ad-blockers-in-push-for-ad-dollars-premium-subs/ |archive-date=1 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=YouTube blocks adblockers; will this be their downfall? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMaFH4KzOVg |website=YouTube |date=12 Oct 2023 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=DMaFH4KzOVg |archive-date=13 Oct 2023}}</ref> a dynamic that some analysts suggest exemplifies the {{Wplink|Streisand effect}}.<ref>{{Cite web |author=phub |title=Brave no longer blocking youtube ads as of March 27, 2024 |url=https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 |website=Brave |date=27 Mar 2024 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801101510/https://community.brave.com/t/brave-no-longer-blocking-youtube-ads-as-of-march-27-2024/540032 |archive-date=1 Aug 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=YouTube's adblock war is backfiring in the worst way possible 🤣 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GARcKCaUfI |website=YouTube |date=5 Nov 2023 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=_GARcKCaUfI |archive-date=5 Nov 2023}}</ref>

Additional strategies have involved the integration of advertisements directly into video streams. This approach has impaired the functionality of certain browser extensions, including SponsorBlock, a community-driven tool designed to skip sponsored segments within videos. The extension relies on user-submitted timestamps to identify these segments; its effectiveness is significantly reduced when personalized advertisements, which vary in duration and placement for each viewer, are embedded into the stream itself.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis
|title=Youtube is dedicated to making this website worse; destroys sponsorblock with ad injection changes |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weP62wPEjRw |website=YouTube |date=18 Jun 2024
|access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=weP62wPEjRw |archive-date=28 Jul 2024}}</ref>

Google has publicly acknowledged implementing code that degrades the user experience for individuals using ad blockers. This includes introducing artificial latency, which has been documented to slow page load times, a measure that also affected users of the Firefox browser.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=Youtube confirms intentional slowdown of adblock users 🤦‍♂️ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMLMQRS3Krk |website=YouTube |date=23 Nov 2023 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=KMLMQRS3Krk |archive-date=23 Nov 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=Is Youtube making firefox load slow on purpose? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x7NSw0Irc0 |website=YouTube |date=21 Nov 2023 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=_x7NSw0Irc0 |archive-date=21 Nov 2023}}</ref>

===Offline video DRM===
The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management]] (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/u9yLW |archive-date=11 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |website=[[Google]] |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025}}</ref>

Saved videos are forcibly deleted after 29 days. [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|Data lock-in and proprietary encoding]] prevents the user from making permanent copies of videos, even those licensed under Creative Commons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Noel |title=Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files |url=https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |website=Virtual Curiosities |date=7 Dec 2024 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/eeX0J |archive-date=2 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Mental Outlaw |title=Google is Locking Down Android |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |website=YouTube |date=28 Aug 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>

===Universal DRM testing and violation of Creative Commons licenses===
YouTube on TV is an {{Wplink|HTML5}} web interface from Google to allow supported devices — such as game consoles which do not have a native YouTube app — to view content via YouTube. An {{Wplink|A/B testing|A/B experiment}} has begun which protects all video and audio content regardless of bit-rate or format via the YouTube on TV platform with DRM.<ref>{{Cite web |author=coletdjnz |title=[YouTube] DRM on ALL videos with tv (TVHTML5) client #12563 |url=https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12563 |website=GitHub |date=8 Mar 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330031529/https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/12563 |archive-date=30 Mar 2025}}</ref> A number of content creators license their work uploaded to YouTube via the {{Wplink|Creative Commons}} licenses. The universal implementation of DRM to restrict a user's ability to exercise their rights granted by the license is a violation of the aforementioned licenses.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=License Versions |url=https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Application_of_effective_technological_measures_by_users_of_CC-licensed_works_prohibited |website=Creative Commons |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101062938/https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/License_Versions#Application_of_effective_technological_measures_by_users_of_CC-licensed_works_prohibited |archive-date=1 Jan 2025}}</ref>

===Pay-walling standard browser features===
Another premium feature of the YouTube mobile app is the ability to play videos in the background.<ref name=":0" /> Without a premium subscription, neither the app nor a web browser will play YouTube videos in the background. However, the default HTML5 video player supports this with no extra effort needed from the developer.

On 7 February 2026, it was reported that YouTube Music was testing a feature that would paywall song lyrics, which were previously a free feature since 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hardwick |first=Tim |title=YouTube Music lyrics now require a Premium subscription |url=https://9to5google.com/2026/02/07/youtube-music-lyrics-premium/ |website=9TO5Google |date=7 Feb 2026 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260208225137/https://9to5google.com/2026/02/07/youtube-music-lyrics-premium/ |archive-date=8 Feb 2026}}</ref>

===Removal of the dislike count on videos===
On 10 November 2021, YouTube removed the public dislike count from all of its videos. Creators are still be able to view dislike counts on their videos through the YouTube Studio website and app.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |author= |title=An update to dislikes on YouTube |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/update-to-youtube/ |website=YouTube Official Blog |date=10 Nov 2021 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110173333/https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/update-to-youtube/ |archive-date=10 Nov 2021}}</ref>

According to YouTube, this was implemented after user testing revealed that users were less likely to feel incentivized to actively try and manipulate the dislike count on videos if the dislike count was not visible to them.<ref name=":2" /> This spurred the creation of "Return YouTube Dislike" by Dmitry Selivanov, a third-party web browser extension to expose the dislike count again. YouTube discontinued the related {{Wplink|API}}, upon which the extension relied, on 13 December 2021. From thereon "Return YouTube Dislike" switched "to using a combination of archived dislike stats, estimates extrapolated from extension user data and estimates based on view/like ratios for videos whose dislikes weren't archived and for outdated dislike archives."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Can |first=Michael |title=Browser Extension Brings Back Dislike Count to YouTube Videos |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/browser-extension-brings-back-dislike-count-to-youtube-videos
|website=PC Mag |date=29 Nov 2021 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130001311/https://www.pcmag.com/news/browser-extension-brings-back-dislike-count-to-youtube-videos |archive-date=30 Nov 2021}}</ref>

===Anti-features and dark patterns to trick the user into staying longer===
YouTube's algorithm was engineered to make the user watch more videos than they intended, to earn more ad revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicas |first=Jack |title=How YouTube Drives People to the Internet’s Darkest Corners |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |url-access=subscription |website=The Wall Street Journal. |date=7 Feb 2018 |access-date=29 Jan 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208091112/https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-youtube-drives-viewers-to-the-internets-darkest-corners-1518020478 |archive-date=8 Dec 2018 |quote=YouTube engineered its algorithm several years ago to make the site “sticky”—to recommend videos that keep users staying to watch still more, said current and former YouTube engineers who helped build it. The site earns money selling ads that run before and during videos.}}</ref> This is on top of a feature called Autoplay, which queues another video (chosen by Youtube's algorithm) and plays that automatically after a short delay so you keep watching more. Through this mechanism, children will especially have their attention extracted for several hours.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |author= |title=James Bridle: What Do Kids' Videos on YouTube Reveal About the Internet's Dark Side? |others=NPR/TED Staff |url=https://www.npr.org/transcripts/662612151 |website=NPR |date=2 Nov 2018 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250620234159/https://www.npr.org/transcripts/662612151 |archive-date=20 Jun 2025 |quote="And also, on the other side of the screen, there still are these little kids watching this stuff - right? - their full attention grabbed by these weird mechanisms. And so there's autoplay, where it just keeps playing these videos over and over and over on a loop, endlessly, for hours and hours at a time. And there's so much weirdness in the system now that autoplay takes you to some pretty strange places. This is how within, like, a dozen steps, you can go from a cute video of a counting train to masturbating Mickey Mouse."}}</ref>

By default, this feature is enabled.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Autoplay videos - YouTube Help |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |website=[[Google]] |date=4 Apr 2025 |access-date=13 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401080124/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6327615?hl=en |archive-date=1 Apr 2025}}</ref>

===Crackdown against third-party front-ends===

Since the beginning of 2025, users have been reporting issues with third-party front-ends accessing the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Fijxu |title=Youtube changed something, again! |url=https://nadeko.net/announcements/invidious-02-20/ |website=nadeko |date=16 Feb 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816014757/https://nadeko.net/announcements/invidious-02-20/ |archive-date=16 Aug 2025}}</ref> For FreeTube, there has been a heightened amount of people receiving {{Wplink|HTTP 403|403 errors}} associated with IP blocks when attempting to view videos via this front-end.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Gevaarlijk |title=[Bug]: [BAD_HTTP_STATUS: 403] Potential causes: IP block or streaming URL deciphering failed #6701 |url=https://github.com/FreeTubeApp/FreeTube/issues/6701 |website=GitHub |date=31 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/cPHsx |archive-date=21 Feb 2025}}</ref>

===AI filtering without consent===
YouTube is testing an experiment on Shorts content that enhances a video's detail without the creator's consent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reisner |first=Alex |title=YouTube’s Sneaky AI ‘Experiment’
|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/08/youtube-shorts-ai-upscaling/683946/ |website=The Atlantic |date=22 Aug 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822194955/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/08/youtube-shorts-ai-upscaling/683946/ |archive-date=22 Aug 2025}}</ref> The resulting output tends to look plastic. This change has been observed as early as 27 June 2025<ref>{{Cite web |author=Ulincsys |title=YouTube Shorts are almost certainly being AI upscaled |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1lllnse/youtube_shorts_are_almost_certainly_being_ai/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=27 Jun 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/01yrZ |archive-date=7 Aug 2025}}</ref> and affects creators who especially intend the video to be viewed in a certain way, such as the "{{Wplink|VHS}} look".<ref>{{Cite web |author=dolanbriese |title=YouTube Shorts are becoming AI upscaled without consent from creators |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/1m5y7zu/youtube_shorts_are_becoming_ai_upscaled_without/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=21 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/i2Ej3 |archive-date=18 Aug 2025
}}</ref> Rhett Shull, in his video, opines such a change "will inevitably erode viewers trust in my content [...] or any of the other creators on this platform that we all watch and we all follow" due to implications that the creator may be using AI, and "also erodes my trust in the platform."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shull |first=Rhett |title=YouTube Is Using AI to Alter Content (and not telling us) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86nhP8tvbLY |website=YouTube |date=14 Aug 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=86nhP8tvbLY |archive-date=16 Aug 2025}}</ref>

Artist Sam Yang uploaded a video on 30 August 2025, following up on the issue using his own work for comparison, testing the claims that this is merely compression scaling, adding an artist's eye and commentary to the issue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yang |first=Sam |title=Youtube is Using AI on Your Shorts Without Consent.. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjnQ-s7LW-g |website=YouTube |date=30 Aug 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=tjnQ-s7LW-g |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref>

Users also complained about a dangerous flickering that happens under some videos. Some forwarded this issue to YouTube scientist Anton Petrov, to which he replicated the issue and showed it under a video uploaded 25 October 2025, noting it happens on one of his devices, more specifically a mobile phone.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrov |first=Anton |title=YouTube AI Filter Is Making My Videos Dangerous To Watch |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HY-nREvVu4 |website=YouTube |date=25 Oct 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://www.preservetube.com/watch?v=2HY-nREvVu4 |archive-date=26 Oct 2025}}</ref>

===Wave of channel terminations (''2025'')===
In November 2025, multiple YouTube channels, including Enderman, Scratchit Gaming, and 4096 were reportedly terminated in a massive ban wave under false reasons, such as association with a Japanese-language channel "椛のスターレイル遊び" which translates roughly as "Momiji plays Honkai: Star Rail Adventures," a reference to a Japanese role-playing game. Some have blamed the ban wave on the malfunctions of YouTube's AI-powered moderation system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |title=Big YouTube channels are being banned. YouTubers are blaming AI. |url=https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |website=Mashable |date=4 Nov 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/IHzZU |archive-date=2 Feb 2026}}</ref>

=== API restrictions ===
In June 2023, YouTube forced Matt Wright, maintainer of the YouTube Metadata tool, to remove the exporting feature which let people export YouTube metadata such as video descriptions into a file. This did not include the videos themselves. It can be assumed that this is the "tip of an iceberg" and YouTube made many such requests without them being publicly documented.<ref>[https://github.com/mattwright324/youtube-metadata/discussions/150 Export Feature? · mattwright324/youtube-metadata · Discussion #150 · GitHub]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:YouTube]]

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

YouTube