Comment by brailsafe

For the last few months I've simply stopped accessing YouTube directly. No website, no app. I still watch some videos that are embedded on articles or whatever, and occasionally download specific ones, but I don't see anything that's core to the YT experience, like subs or shorts or anything like that.

It's almost unavoidable to encounter videos that are only hosted on YT, but if I can't watch them without accessing any YT interface, I just don't watch them, I've just decided it's not worth it. I also haven't done anything specific to restrict the website, I've just mentally banned it as a simple rule to follow. It's an insidious service imo that uses casino tactics to steal my time and attention. What I occasionally want is videos, but their entire service beyond that provides only negative value to me.

I don't feel like I've missed much.

For insta, I've always just used their website, which is so terrible, and the content so inconsequential, that it's not a big deal anymore in terms of stealing my attention.