DeArrow developer here
To clarify on what it happening, the extension was free for everyone while it was in beta, but as originally described on the website and install page, there is now a soft paywall for new users only. Those beta users also have a license key that they are encouraged to share with others if they would like :)
I understand you may not want to use this at all as a principal, which is fine, but I'll explain the different things I've done to make this better.
- The extension and server source code are FOSS and self hostable
- The database is public and downloadable as with my other extension SponorBlock (https://sponsor.ajay.app/database)
- License keys are encouraged to be shared
- There is an option to request free access
- The payment option is one time forever
I understand if you still don't want to use it though :)
Also if you want, here is a key :P FVE2Q-a3442
What does remembering the actual title mean if they change it every five minutes ;)
But yea, a DeArrow search engine would solve that problem
But they are so much worse than they were 6 months ago. He's gone and ruined all of the old ones too with arrows and more deceptive titles.
You can do different settings per channel. So, you can allowlist channels, or even do the reverse, and only change titles/thumbnails on channels you don't like.
If you look at the DeArrow website and browser extension pages, I made sure to only use high quality channels as examples (Tom Scott, CGP Grey) to demonstrate how far reaching the sensationalism problem is.
YouTube Clickbait-Buster has a feature where you can see all the images from the hovering preview from the seekbar. A more refined version of that could be interesting to look into in the future maybe.
on the extreme levels, yes, but almost everyone on the platform does some form of deception to convince you to click.
Like it says on the dearrow website:
"Clickbait" isn't the exception anymore, it's becoming the norm. Many have even started going through their entire backlog, changing old titles and thumbnails to be more attention grabbing and vague.
It's no one's fault. It's a system that creates a race to the bottom.
Clickbait remover uses YouTube’s auto generated ones, which while are seemingly random, are not. They use some algorithm to target faces in exaggerated expressions.
DeArrow uses actually random ones (and then a user can submit specific timestamps if there is a better one). It’s noticeable better on many channels imo
(I made DeArrow)
You have to use a custom add-on collection and Firefox Beta because Mozilla restricts which add-ons you can use
BlockTube can block videos based on keywords
Clickbait remover uses YouTube’s auto generated ones, which while are seemingly random, are not. They use some algorithm to target faces in exaggerated expressions.
DeArrwow uses actually random ones (and then a user can submit specific timestamps if there is a better one). It’s noticeable better on many channels imo. It also let's us do things like make sure the random thumbnail is not in a sponsor using SponsorBlock data
(I made DeArrow)
Clickbait remover uses YouTube's auto generated ones, which while are seemingly random, are not. They use some algorithm to target faces in exaggerated expressions.
DeArrwow uses actually random ones (and then a user can submit specific timestamps if there is a better one). It's noticeable better on many channels imo
(I made DeArrow)
Creator of theq extension here, that is an optional permissions (may ask). It never asks to access to all sites, it only optionally let's you add support for additional sites such as different Invidious instances. These are arbitrary domains, so it needs permission to ask for any arbitrary website.
Support for invidious is not actually done yet, so right now, it never asks for permission for any new sites anyway
The client side data is used to store your submissions to always show your preferred title, even if there is another submission on the server. You can disable this option in the settings
Link taxes only serve to strengthen the monopolies. News companies are now going to be dependent on Facebook and google (the only ones who have to pay) and news companies and governments will want to keep the status quo as much as possible.
A general tax on large tech companies going to something like the Canadian media fund is a lot more reasonable.
We can not afford to tie the sustainability of such a vital resource to the success of two specific monopolistic foreign corporations.