• pivot_root@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You say that, but…

    From the FAQ section:

    How do you know if a user is watching the PreShow video?
    We use proprietary facial recognition technology. That’s why it’s so easy to pause the viewing, and resume it later, at your leisure.

    But that’s voluntary. It’s not like you have to use that service. You could just buy a movie ticket.

    However… If (or more like when) Google decides to go and add eye tracking to the JavaScript idle detection API, we’re all fucked. Sit back and watch this whole five minute YouTube ad… or let us make sure you’re watching a 30-second one.

    • Zacryon@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      You could print an image and hang it before the camera or place a life-sized cardboard human there.

      BTW: We’re not all fucked. Only those who use Google products are.

      • pivot_root@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        A second camera pointing at a different angle would squash that workaround, sadly. And if it gets to the point of paper mache humans, I wouldn’t put them past it to add a third, infrared camera.

        BTW: We’re not all fucked. Only those who use Google products are.

        I wouldn’t be too sure about that. Non-comforming browsers could just be blocked or forced to watch the longer, unskippable ad. Similar concerns to how the implementation (or refusal to implement) web environment integrity would create a two-tiered internet.

        • Malta Soron@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          There were software tutorials before Youtube, and there will be after.

          Personally, I hate having to watch a video to learn something because reading a text is just so much faster.

    • Boinketh@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      15 to 20 minutes of ads, holy shit. I would rather kill myself. ^(not that the bar is particular high for that, given the current state of society)

    • monobot@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Than we can do “let me play the ads when I feel like it”, so I can log on and watch 10-20 minutes of ads and than watch 10 hours of videos? Why just irritating me on random?