You Tube suggestions
November 5, 2015 8:17 PM Subscribe
Why does YouTube always suggest Vietnamese videos to me, even though I don't speak Vietnamese, I've never clicked on a video in Vietnamese or from Vietnam, and no one in my house has either?
I've certainly googled stuff like, "Vietnamese Caterer Bay Area" or occasionally googled stuff related to Vietnam or Vietnamese history or whatnot over the years, but these would be infrequent searches and not video searches. I've never clicked a TV show from Vietnam or a Vietnamese music video or anything. My partner does have family from Vietnam, but they are long-time US residents and she only corresponds with them in English and not from my computer, so I think that must just be a total coincidence?! What is it in their algorithm/spying mechanisms that makes these suggestions?
Example tonight: I am watching Patti Smith and fam and youtube "up next" side bar lists this and this (and I promise, clicking those links in order to construct this post was the only time I've clicked one of these links!)
I've certainly googled stuff like, "Vietnamese Caterer Bay Area" or occasionally googled stuff related to Vietnam or Vietnamese history or whatnot over the years, but these would be infrequent searches and not video searches. I've never clicked a TV show from Vietnam or a Vietnamese music video or anything. My partner does have family from Vietnam, but they are long-time US residents and she only corresponds with them in English and not from my computer, so I think that must just be a total coincidence?! What is it in their algorithm/spying mechanisms that makes these suggestions?
Example tonight: I am watching Patti Smith and fam and youtube "up next" side bar lists this and this (and I promise, clicking those links in order to construct this post was the only time I've clicked one of these links!)
Response by poster: Perhaps naive question but, when I listened to this radiolab about how common newer forms of personal computer 'hacking' are, I was wondering if somehow external forces have visited the inside of my computer somehow?! (My poor phrasing reflects how totally uninformed I am about how that stuff actually works.)
posted by latkes at 8:20 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by latkes at 8:20 PM on November 5, 2015
In my browser there is a place where I can select which languages I want it to support. I currently have it set to American English (first) and then Japanese.
It is possible for a web site to query the browser about those languages, and as a result some web sites I visit automagically display in Japanese for me even though they have English versions. (Which is useless because I don't actually speak Japanese, let along read it.)
Do you have the Vietnamese language set in your browser as an alternative?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:29 PM on November 5, 2015
It is possible for a web site to query the browser about those languages, and as a result some web sites I visit automagically display in Japanese for me even though they have English versions. (Which is useless because I don't actually speak Japanese, let along read it.)
Do you have the Vietnamese language set in your browser as an alternative?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:29 PM on November 5, 2015
I think it's highly unlikely you are the victim of hacking.
It's possible that one or two videos you watched in the past are tangentially related to the Vietnamese videos that YouTube suggests to you. Anecdata: I did a search on Common Core and clicked on a couple of videos by right-wing conspiracy types, and from there on out, my suggestions included some really out-there conspiracy videos (not even related Common Core). I went back and deleted the CC vids from my history and the suggestions went back to normal.
posted by puritycontrol at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2015
It's possible that one or two videos you watched in the past are tangentially related to the Vietnamese videos that YouTube suggests to you. Anecdata: I did a search on Common Core and clicked on a couple of videos by right-wing conspiracy types, and from there on out, my suggestions included some really out-there conspiracy videos (not even related Common Core). I went back and deleted the CC vids from my history and the suggestions went back to normal.
posted by puritycontrol at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2015
Response by poster: Hmm, I don't see that language setting in Firefox, but I have the same suggestions when looking at YouTube in Chrome.
posted by latkes at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by latkes at 8:35 PM on November 5, 2015
On YouTube, I sometimes get French ads and suggested videos (not from Quebec, which might make sense because I'm Canada, from France). I think it's because I've watched videos (some in French, mostly in English) on channels hosted in France. (And a few times, videos by French musicians hosted on non-French channels. Or bands that have a big following in France. but I think it's the other thing.)
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:37 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:37 PM on November 5, 2015
Response by poster: Huh, I looked at my history , and discovered I'm "subscribed" to two channels I never heard of. And my history if FULL of Vietnamese language videos I've never watched?!! I unsubscribed from these channels (I didn't even know that subscribing to a channel was a thing that existed on YouTube) and I guess I'll delete all this history but... weird? I have no (other) reason to think anyone has hacked my gmail account, but that's what my youtube account is linked to...
posted by latkes at 8:41 PM on November 5, 2015
posted by latkes at 8:41 PM on November 5, 2015
I live in a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood and often get recommendations for Spanish-language content despite the fact that I don't watch much of it. Is it possible that you share a zip code with a significant Vietnamese minority?
Also seconding cotton dress sock's suggestion of the channels hosting videos you've watched having something to do with it. Especially if you watch a lot of videos that are music related, which are often hosted on random international channels since people all over the world like Western popular music. It's funny you mention Patti Smith, because I went on a tear watching Patti Smith videos at one point and most of them were hosted on otherwise non-Anglophone channels.
posted by Sara C. at 8:42 PM on November 5, 2015
Also seconding cotton dress sock's suggestion of the channels hosting videos you've watched having something to do with it. Especially if you watch a lot of videos that are music related, which are often hosted on random international channels since people all over the world like Western popular music. It's funny you mention Patti Smith, because I went on a tear watching Patti Smith videos at one point and most of them were hosted on otherwise non-Anglophone channels.
posted by Sara C. at 8:42 PM on November 5, 2015
Best answer: You can see the various devices and locations that have accessed your google account here.
posted by dilaudid at 8:46 PM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by dilaudid at 8:46 PM on November 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: OMG!! From that page
Samsung Galaxy SII Epic 4G Touch
Vietnam
-
29 minutes ago
I have an S III and am in the US.
posted by latkes at 8:53 PM on November 5, 2015
Samsung Galaxy SII Epic 4G Touch
Vietnam
-
29 minutes ago
I have an S III and am in the US.
posted by latkes at 8:53 PM on November 5, 2015
Best answer: Yikes. So, end the sessions of the people in Vietnam and disconnect any devices and apps that aren't from you. Change your password. Then clear all the Vietnamese videos from your watch history. It sounds to me more like someone doesn't realize they are using your account than hacking, but I would make sure they are forced out of it and can't get back in.
posted by AppleTurnover at 9:02 PM on November 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by AppleTurnover at 9:02 PM on November 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
Have you any time had an SII? Maybe it got sent to Vietnam for recyclingreuse and wasn't properly wiped beforehand.
posted by Mitheral at 9:02 PM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 9:02 PM on November 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: That's what I'm wondering too... I don't think I ever had one. I had a flip phone.. then a google phone.. then I forget what.. then the S III, but maybe I did have one?
The thing is I'm almost certain that they are not fucking around with my google accounts at all. They just happen to be watching videos I guess, maybe on an old phone I had? I just dont' remember. I wonder if there's any other possible explanation. I have changed my password, de-linked everything but feedly (there were no suspicious linked applications though) and deleted all watch history..
They must also think the video suggestions they've been getting are quite odd. I hope they check out the Patti Smith though.
posted by latkes at 9:07 PM on November 5, 2015 [14 favorites]
The thing is I'm almost certain that they are not fucking around with my google accounts at all. They just happen to be watching videos I guess, maybe on an old phone I had? I just dont' remember. I wonder if there's any other possible explanation. I have changed my password, de-linked everything but feedly (there were no suspicious linked applications though) and deleted all watch history..
They must also think the video suggestions they've been getting are quite odd. I hope they check out the Patti Smith though.
posted by latkes at 9:07 PM on November 5, 2015 [14 favorites]
Response by poster: I got a text from Google half an hour before I woke up this morning sending a verification code. I guess someone noticed they were booted out.
posted by latkes at 7:42 AM on November 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by latkes at 7:42 AM on November 6, 2015 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by latkes at 8:17 PM on November 5, 2015