The "best content":

“This will allow YouTube to locate the best content.”

It’s the blatant bald-faced lying that really gets me. They’re openly broadcasting how little respect they have for you, that they think you’ll swallow that as a valid reason not to function.

It’s as if some manager at Google deep down knows he’s a piece of shit who belongs in a gulag, and is subconsciously trying to bring it about.

I'm on proton vpn and it works fine for me. I'm using YouTube through Firefox though, not the app, because fuck the app

• https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp
• https://github.com/kieraneglin/pinchflat
• https://www.tubearchivist.com/
• https://github.com/alexta69/metube
• https://freetubeapp.io/

YouTube has been trying to block VPNs for months now. Especially one that offers a free one like Proton. Just switch your VPN server till one works. They're always playing tag.

Enshittification proceeding nicely. I use Freetube on the desktop and Newpipe on my Android phone. I have ExpressVPN on my router.

If you turn VPN off, you lose.

Change the VPN server/location.

That's why VPNs give you hundreds of options. You should be changing your VPN location anyway based on the pseudo-profile you want. VPNs aren't magic, they're just tools.

Other options include:

Searching for the video with DDG or Startpage and playing the video via their search

Using an Invidious frontend

I am also on Proton VPN. 2 days ago Google search wouldn't allow me to search at all because it couldn't confirm my age.

I switched to a different server and it worked, but that shouldn't have made a difference, since I was sigbed into the same google account.

Strangely enough, this happened about 30 ish hours after I started self hosting my own searxng.

Utter BS on their part. Time to go read books!

The only time I had this issue, I jus used ytdl-p to bypass while still keeping my VPN up. The video was not really worth it, but at least I could watch it.

Which country gave you this prompt?

I'm trying to say give up YT, not worth it anymore.

That's absolute bullshit youtube, they don't need any locational stuff, other than to sell to advertisers.

.>:(

I don't use proprietary, known evil services which require me to authenticate.

Host Invidious locally...

Can proton spin up new vpns? How does yt find out?

I've noticed the same issue with some VPNs lately. If you're looking for a reliable Android solution, check out Delta Executor Download for the latest version and installation guide.

I pretty much only use YouTube to look up specific clips of things (eg: simpsons clips, bits from movies), the very occasional video game "how do I do this specific thing?", and specific songs i don't have a copy of. I never watch any of its original content. I'm sure some of it is fine, but sturgeon's law says most of it is crap, and there's so much non-crap already on my radar to read/watch/listen to.

So fuck youtube.

Frustrating as hell for sure, did you try switching severs?

I switched to Mullvad VPN, and I've had one Youtube block in the last week. Well worth the cost of switching.

lol…. YouTube will never be okay with VPNs. Yet everyone thinks they’re clever trying to work around it with this shit- while never really accepting that you’re supporting a service that treats its users and content creators like they’re complete and total idiots.

STOP USING YOUTUBE.

problem solved.