youtube woo that isn't fascist

January 9, 2023 3:35 PM

I'm at my parents' house for a couple days and I'd like my mom's youtube algorithm to be less full of the usual goop, Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan, etc. that it usually recommends her. What's some other stuff I could watch that might tilt the recommendations toward something better?

My mother's not a full maga type and mostly gets at her right-wing tendencies from a "wellness" angle, so anything that scratches that itch but ISN'T going to lean into anti-vaxx or fox news nonsense would be really helpful: good yoga/pilates stuff, vaguely alternative medicine or health info, or anything you might see on Oprah would be great.

posted by waffleriot to Grab Bag (19 answers total)

What a great question! I noticed that even when I was clicking on links about Andrew Tate, my algorithm didn't stop sending me my favorite stuff about puppies, food, travel and (liberal) politics. So you just watch all the good stuff 24/7 on your mum's computer now!!

The ZOE project has a good health channel on YouTube. Their videos are a bit too long, but they are good and science based. There is a travel channel called Wide that is very relaxing, but generally, I don't think my taste is similar to your mum's. I hope others will pitch in.
posted by mumimor at 3:47 PM on January 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

In addition to watching good things, go through the steps to choose "do not recommend this channel" (you can google this if you've never done it before) on all of the malignant pages. This won't stop your mom from being able to access this content if she wants to, but it will make it slightly less easy to get dragged into a recommends toilet.
posted by phunniemee at 3:52 PM on January 9, 2023 [26 favorites]

Hybrid Calisthenics is super positive and about exercise, if that's her thing.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:03 PM on January 9, 2023 [8 favorites]

Yeesh, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I definitely agree that the algorithm is the enemy here, but it also seems a bit underhanded and sneaky?

Or maybe I just feel like that because my first impulse is to point out that that's the slow way of doing things, and it would be a lot quicker to just delete her entire search and watch history!

Too much? Maybe that's too much.
posted by AbelMelveny at 4:32 PM on January 9, 2023 [6 favorites]

How about Gabor Maté stuff about trauma, and the ways it affects body & mind? This is a playlist of some good talks from a 2021 series. Plenty of other Gabor Maté vids on there if you search for him.
posted by xueexueg at 4:36 PM on January 9, 2023

Future Crunch "fosters intelligent, optimistic thinking for the future," particularly its "Good News"-related vids. Perhaps OnlyGood TV (focus on "everyday heroes" doing good for their communities and society")? Science: a popular "The "Science" of Anti-Vaccination" SciShow episode; Smarter Everyday & It's Okay to Be Smart channels. BBC's The Repair Shop, relaxing cooking shows w/diverse contestant pools. Yoga with Adriene.

Yoga's disinformation & conspiracy theory problems; Seane Corn's Off the Mat and Into the World is a progressive nonprofit working against these tendencies.
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:41 PM on January 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think working with the algorithm is going to help, pick an area for which there is a lot of content available. There are an absolute shit-ton of clean with me videos, and some go into using natural cleaners, and YouTube seems to love to show me them. I also get recommended a lot of pop psychology videos despite never expressing any interest in them, things like “motivation” and “hack your brain” are common themes.

Turn off auto play if your mom won’t just turn it right back on.
posted by momus_window at 4:58 PM on January 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

I almost never see Nazi stuff and I mostly search music videos, furniture restoration, and cat rescue stuff. If that helps.

(Question: does your dad also use that channel? If he is searching traditional masculine stuff he might be affecting the algorithm too).
posted by emjaybee at 5:09 PM on January 9, 2023 [1 favorite]

When she’s taking a shower, go into her settings, clear and DISABLE history, and unsubscribe her from all the kooky shit. Sure it’s an ends over means approach but algos are literally destroying the planet and people’s minds along with it.
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:09 PM on January 9, 2023 [7 favorites]

Then subscribe her to the more neutral or positive stuff
posted by cotton dress sock at 7:12 PM on January 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

Tara Brach
Flatbush Cats
The effervescent and delightful Alexis of Black Forager
Thoraya, who conducts beautiful, vulnerable interviews with strangers
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 8:02 PM on January 9, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think eco-friendliness is probably your best bet. You could try zero-waste content or discussions of harmful “chemicals.” There’s a lot of diy skincare. I know a lot of woo lefties, but I can’t think of many woo topics that exclude fascist tendencies. It’s like there’s a Woo Law of Motion: for every woo lefty, there is an equal and opposite woo right-winger. Actually, let’s face it: right-wing woo is way more powerful.
posted by Comet Bug at 9:37 PM on January 9, 2023

I would not necessarily assume that blocking the bad stuff would work. It could lead to even worse suggestions. Better to watch good stuff 24/7.
posted by wnissen at 10:14 PM on January 9, 2023

I’ve been blessedly free of a lot of fascism in my algorithm despite pretty much just clicking on recommended videos for years. No clue how or why, but anyway here are some of my favorite channels that might be good:

Rescue & Restore (Super satisfying object restoration)
Emmymade (my mom LOVES her but only watches her videos when they show up on her Facebook feed. Okay Mom, whatever.)
Morgan Donner (historical sewing and general delight)
Dear Modern (woo-light feng shui with real life rooms)
Beryl Shereshewsky (very curious woman trying all kinds of international foods, very nice comment community)
Robert E Fuller (wildlife observer, rescuer, artist, and educator)
Internet Shaquille (cooking and life advice from a fairly no-bullshit guy)
Exploring Alternatives (tours of unusual homes and living situations)
Shelbizleee (achievable low waste minimalism from a queer Texan perspective)
posted by Mizu at 11:00 PM on January 9, 2023 [6 favorites]

I like Nutrition Made Simple with Gil Carvahello and Plant Chompers. The latter a bit more vegan focussed. The former amazingly even handed on nutrition.
posted by jonrob at 11:34 PM on January 9, 2023

Well+Good (they have great Pilates videos)

Yoga with Adriene
posted by kinddieserzeit at 1:32 AM on January 10, 2023

Maybe a sidebar, but maybe not: if she is an Android user, the home page is a news feed. Google uses everything it knows about you to feed content. I actively get rid of crap in that feed. Youtube feeds Google, Google feeds Youtube, crazies buy ad placement and generate more content to fill Google searches and Youtube. Good you are trying to help your mom. Best of luck.
posted by zerobyproxy at 11:09 AM on January 10, 2023 [1 favorite]

YES - if you follow my advice, you will have to do this through Google! You can do it from the desktop if there’s a home computer.
posted by cotton dress sock at 1:34 PM on January 10, 2023

See if you can log into her account from a desktop browser, then select the Home view, then scroll through the recommendations. When you find something bad, hover over the thumbnail to make three dots appear to the right of the title. This will open a submenu with the choices such as "Not Interested" and "Don't Recommend Channel." Select one of those to teach the algorithm.
posted by conrad53 at 6:01 PM on January 10, 2023