Past years I started to be more concerned about my privacy after certain online service got hacked, Passbolt, Plex, Twitch as for common online services and other attacks for example when VMware ESXi back door attacks. All this company always give small numbers compared to the real amount of data that was breach, so far I'm lucky I haven't been directly affected by any of this hacks, after this I decided to stop using Google services and applications as much as I could, you will probably never be able to do this but there are alternatives that help to lower the amount of data that this mayor companies can farm from you. In this post I try to bring you one of my daily drivers, Invidious: a front end to Youtube with multiple privacy features. Within it many features for me the selling point was that you don't need a google account or subscribe to any service.
There is a good Sub-Reddit where you can get ideas on how to proceed with getting farther away from Google and other mayor intrusive services https://www.reddit.com/r/degoogle/
Invidious Documentation: https://docs.invidious.io/
Invidious Github: https://github.com/iv-org
Invidious Instances: https://docs.invidious.io/instances/
Prev Post on the series:
@skiptvads/start-to-degoogle-yes-its
Brief technical overview of Invidious:
Invidious is an open source project that provides a web front-end for YouTube, offering users a privacy-focused alternative to the official YouTube platform. Invidious allows users to search, view and interact with YouTube content without the tracking and advertising that are present on the main YouTube website. Using Invidious, you can enjoy a more private and secure experience when watching YouTube videos, some of the key features are:
Importance of privacy in the age of technology
Privacy is becoming increasingly important in the age of technology as more and more personal information is being collected and stored by companies and governments. With the rise of the internet and the increasing use of smartphones and other connected devices, it is now easier than ever for organizations to gather and use personal information for a variety of purposes, including targeted advertising, political analysis, and even surveillance.
As a result, privacy has become a major concern for many people, as they worry about who has access to their personal information and how it is being used. This is why privacy-focused technology and open-source projects, such as Invidious, have become increasingly important in recent years. By providing users with a secure and private alternative to mainstream platforms, such projects empower people to take control of their personal information and protect their privacy in the digital age.
Some of the key features of the Invidious open source project include:
Additionally, Invidious uses encrypted connections to protect users privacy and security, making it a safer alternative to YouTube. With these privacy-focused features, Invidious empowers users to take control of their personal information and protect their privacy in the digital age.
By removing ads, Invidious provides a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for its users, making it easier to search, view, and interact with YouTube videos. Additionally, the absence of ads also helps to speed up the video playback experience, providing a faster and more reliable video viewing experience.
In addition to encrypted connections, Invidious also employs security measures such as regular software updates and a secure codebase to help protect its users from potential security threats. By prioritizing security, Invidious provides its users with a safer and more secure way to access YouTube videos, helping to protect their privacy and personal information.
Invidious also provides users with quick access to popular videos, channels, and playlists, making it easier to find and enjoy content that is relevant to their interests. Additionally, Invidious provides an intuitive commenting system that allows users to engage with other users and share their thoughts on videos.
Overall, Invidious has been designed with ease of use in mind, making it an accessible and user-friendly alternative to the official YouTube platform. Whether you are a tech-savvy user or someone who is new to the world of online video, Invidious provides a simple and enjoyable way to access and interact with YouTube videos.
For more advanced users you could run your own instance of Invidious at home with the easy of use of Docker, now days using docker is becoming more popular and easy, even on some devices like Synology NAS some of this docker containers are almost one click install.
Drawbacks
While Invidious has many benefits, there are also a few drawbacks to consider. Some of the key drawbacks include:
Limited functionality: Invidious provides a more stripped-down experience compared to the official YouTube platform, with fewer features and less customization options. This may be a drawback for users who are used to the more advanced features offered by YouTube.
Reliance on community servers: Invidious relies on a network of community servers to provide its services. This means that the performance and reliability of the platform can vary, depending on the quality and maintenance of the instance you are using.
Limited community support: As a relatively new and less known open source project, Invidious may not have the same level of community support as more established platforms. This can make it more difficult for users to find answers to their questions or receive help with technical issues.
Overall, Invidious is a powerful and privacy-focused alternative to YouTube, but it has its limitations, same as most other open source free applications there is always a drawback compared to a paid or free to use, most of the time is convenient . Before using Invidious, it is important to consider both its benefits and drawbacks, to determine whether it is the right choice for your video viewing needs.
Invidious is an open-source project that relies on the contributions of its community to continue its development and maintenance. This means that the success and stability of the project is largely dependent on the support and contributions of its users.
The open source nature of Invidious allows users to view the source code and contribute to its development, adding new features, fixing bugs, and improving performance. This level of transparency and community involvement is one of the key benefits of Invidious, as it allows users to take control of their privacy and ensure that the platform meets their needs.
However, this dependence on the open source community also means that Invidious may not have the same level of support and stability as commercial platforms, which typically have dedicated teams of developers and support staff.
Conclusion
It's been over a year since I setup two instances, one at home and another at work, both for friends and family, since then is very rare for me to use Youtube, Invidious is far from an exact copy of Youtube but the minute you start using it you actually feel lost or empty and its because its not constantly suggesting videos not related to what you are watching or searching with the big advantage of No Ads.
My Home Instance:
I hope this post was informative enough so I can poke your interest to take a look at this solution. My plan is to keep posting about these privacy oriented solutions, eventually post tutorials on how to run them locally.
