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Lately when I try to view a YouTube video I’m told that “Sign in to confirm you're not a bot”. A Web search suggests that people are having this problem when using a VPN. Are Apple’s privacy masking techniques causing this?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
You would need to ask Google. In any event it's not anything Apple is doing; it's something Google is objecting to, and I surmise it's along the lines of what IdrisSeabright wrote.
Google is frankly desperate to make life inconvenient for anyone attempting to circumvent their information-harvesting mission. They don't want you using Safari at all, not unless you "sign in" or submit to ever-increasing demands to accomplish that mission. It's their lifeblood.
Yes a VPN could interfere with that mission. Also, Safari incorporates a number of privacy protection features that Google really, really doesn't like: Safari Privacy - Apple
It sounds more like Google/Alphabet trying to get you to sign in so they get even more of your personal information.
👍
I surmise you placated the Google for now. Please write back if it continues to harass you though.
I’m not using a VPN, but I wonder if some of Apple’s privacy features might cause behavior similar to a VPN.
My Safari settings include “Block Pop-ups”, “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking”, “Hide IP Address > From Trackers” and “Privacy Protecting Ad Measurement”.
Edit: I just tried to watch one of the videos that gave me trouble and now I can view them without that error message. I have no idea what might have changed. The only iOS update in between was the one to 18.1.1.
No.
Maybe so, but non-Apple users for the most part don’t seem to be having this problem. And I can view the same videos using the YouTube app without signing in, just not with YouTube.com in Safari.
Then what accounts for this recent change in behavior? See my post from several minutes ago.
I don't have this problem. Are you using a VPN?
Why does YouTube ask me to log in to watch videos on Safari?
