Invidious gets C&D from YouTube [UPDATED]

3 years ago by nullishcat to c/tech

The developers of Invidious, a privacy-respecting alternative front-end for YouTube, have received a cease-and-desist notice from YouTube.

TL;DR: YouTube sends a Cease and Desist email to the Invidious team for API abuse (even though they don't use the API.)

Source

I also want to point out (since nobody else has) that YT has done shenanigans like this in the past. Invidious is not going down without a fight.

Reply to the GitHub issue from NewPipe offering Legal help

UPDATE

As of 2 weeks ago, Google has begun blocking multiple instances from accessing their services. This also includes my own instance and appears to be done alongside the C&D. (Note: I have not received one yet.) I'm currently playing whack & mole with Google and will be moving between several different servers. Some others are going through IPv6 addresses (which didn't work for me.)

pirate 2 points 3 years ago

the guys at youtube are dumb

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squarewagon 2 points 3 years ago

Aw man. This is how I watch YouTube videos :(

I love these privacy-friendly front ends for big tech websites. I guess it was only a matter of time before Go.ogle started fighting Invidious/Piped instances.

If you haven't already checkout the plugin called "Privacy Redirect" for Chrome/Firefox. There's also an android app version called UntrackMe (I think?). They basically intercept YouTube/Twitter/Reddit links and redirect them to privacy-friendly instances.

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ggt 2 points 3 years ago

Yeah, it's called UntrackMe. I use LibRedirect, works well enough and supports a wide range of services.

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squarewagon 1 point 3 years ago

Thanks for sharing. Yeah LibRedirect does support a whole lot more! Going to switch to that now.

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Omi 1 point 3 years ago

hope this doesn't efffect YT-DLP " :( or we'are fuked

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Kaizen 0 points 3 years ago

Ugh this is going to break Freetube :(

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valth 1 point 3 years ago

Freetube is already broken for me. I only use it as a centralized following channels plataform (to get the updates from the channels i follow) and then get the indivious link and open it in the browser!

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Kaizen 1 point 3 years ago

still works for me

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