The trending page of YT is like the r/all of Reddit. If I want to see some stuff I couldn't care less about, that's where I'll find it. I have no idea who actually uses that, but I've never found anything of value there.

Online monoculture died when the normies finally got online and brought real life cliques to the internet.

When was this?

Asking as someone who’s been on the Internet since 1989.

I recommend Tubular. Newpipe with Sponsorblock. Didn't realise how much of a game changer that would be until I tried it.

Just need to find a way to stop Eternity from opening Youtube links in the browser. Sure you can share it with the app but it would be a lot more convenient.

15-20 years or so ago. Whenever smartphones became the dominant communications tool, and pretty much everyone had access to the internet from their pocket square.

Been online since '93 myself at pretty much the dawn of the World Wide Web.

Any iOS alternatives? The ad experience is not great.

People use the youtube app?

Nebula has certainly improved but I still think they need to put more effort into getting new creators that aren't political or news. I just did a skim through their uploads lists for various topics and news and/or political (or political ish) content is still the most active. Topics like technology and gaming see far less uploads.

When was this?

Asking as someone who’s been on the Internet since 1989.

I remember cliques and a lack of online monoculture on Usenet and IRC before the World Wide Web even existed; the web exploded things even further, as did the privatization of DNS and takeover of funding by VCs and ad conglomerates. All that had happened by 1998.

Even then there were things that were more or less known in all corners of the Internet. You could mention things like SCP, 'Charlie bit my finger', or My Immortal on any forum and people there would recognize it.

Now it's all fragmented. Someone can mention something that's a massive phenomenon in one part of the platform and no one else on the same platform would recognise it. For example, I only recently heard about backrooms and apparently it has been a thing for half a decade. That's a long time in internet years.

I block content I’m not interested in and it goes away.

I agree with this idea, but unfortunately YT and other engagement social media sites don't want that to happen. For me, I'm almost never shown videos I hate, but when I say "not interested/don't show me this channel" it USUALLY works. Not at the time though. I've definitely gotten channels recommended to me that I already said I don't want to see.

This is especially true for my mom, who is frequently getting upset by the fact that YT keeps showing her Fox News and Asmongold clips in her recommendations. I think changing the VPN to Canada helped to reduce the Fox News recommendations, but the Asmongold clips can't be escaped.

...backrooms?

Yeah people use all sorts of stuff that you don't. Wild, isn't it?

Youtube has just one priority, it wants you to watch as much monetised content as possible. If you watch and engage with those types of videos, it'll suggest them to you.

I don't, and I never see them recommended either - here's my youtube homepage right now.
DIY, electronics, cooking, gaming, science, with some weeb stuff sprinkled in - exactly what I'd expect.

I use new pipe if I heed. It's like a window into a crazy house. You can see what's going on, but you can't have a say.