YouTube: Difference between revisions

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Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ ~~|website=33rd Square |date=20 Jan 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025~~ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive~~.md~~/~~0x7Q3~~ |archive-date=~~26 Jan~~ 2026}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu

Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |date=20 Jan 2024 |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/GjC82 |archive-date=24 Feb 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=33rd Square}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu

|title=YouTube tests longer CTV ad breaks |url=https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |website=Search Engine Land |date=16 Aug 2024 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816143812/https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |archive-date=16 Aug 2024}}</ref>), increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Arol |title=YouTube is Adding Even More Ads |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |website=How-To-Geek |date=26 Apr 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192258/https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |archive-date=26 Apr 2024}}</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |author=T3rr0r |title=BAD Mobile Game Ads |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |website=YouTube |date=17 Oct 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Knoblauch |first=Max |title=Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? |url=https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |website=Sherwood News |date=14 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614151756/https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |archive-date=14 Jun 2024}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |author=Saberspark |title=The DISGUSTING State of Mobile Game Ads (and why YouTube LOVES IT) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |website=YouTube |date=18 Sep 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AEC |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206072120/https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AED |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>

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===Offline video DRM===

The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management]] (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium ~~|website=YouTube |date= |access-date=2 Feb 2026~~ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/~~u9yLW~~ |archive-date=11 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |website=[[Google]] |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025}}</ref>

The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management]] (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |date= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251111004845/https://www.youtube.com/premium |archive-date=11 Nov 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |website=[[Google]] |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025}}</ref>

Saved videos are forcibly deleted after 29 days. [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|Data lock-in and proprietary encoding]] prevents the user from making permanent copies of videos, even those licensed under Creative Commons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Noel |title=Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files |url=https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |website=Virtual Curiosities |date=7 Dec 2024 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251126100053/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |archive-date=26 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Mental Outlaw |title=Google is Locking Down Android |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |website=YouTube |date=28 Aug 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>

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In November 2025, multiple YouTube channels, including Enderman, Scratchit Gaming, and 4096 were reportedly terminated in a massive ban wave under false reasons, such as association with a Japanese-language channel "椛のスターレイル遊び" which translates roughly as "Momiji plays Honkai: Star Rail Adventures," a reference to a Japanese role-playing game. Some have blamed the ban wave on the malfunctions of YouTube's AI-powered moderation system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |title=Big YouTube channels are being banned. YouTubers are blaming AI. |url=https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |website=Mashable |date=4 Nov 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221125020/https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref>

=== API restrictions ===

===API restrictions===

In June 2023, YouTube forced Matt Wright, maintainer of the YouTube Metadata tool, to remove the exporting feature which let people export YouTube metadata such as video descriptions into a file. This did not include the videos themselves. It can be assumed that this is the "tip of an iceberg" and YouTube made many such requests without them being publicly documented.<ref>[https://github.com/mattwright324/youtube-metadata/discussions/150 Export Feature? · mattwright324/youtube-metadata · Discussion #150 · GitHub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251214094758/https://github.com/mattwright324/youtube-metadata/discussions/150 Archived])</ref>

=== Prevention of offline video preservation (downloading) ===

Creating permanent local copies of videos is strongly discouraged by YouTube.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkojLslXg5M Vsauce Answers the 100 Most Googled Questions | WIRED] (at 7:20 and 8:57)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com:443/watch?v=IVPriyYwd-E How To Legally Download YouTube Videos] - Tim Schmoyer - Video Creators TV (clickbait - it is an advertisement for "YouTube Red", the earlier name of "YouTube Premium", and only shows the built-in "downloading" feature of YouTube Studio that lets channel owners download only their own uploaded videos)</ref> YouTube is taking measures to prevent people from backing up videos locally. From a YouTube help center article:

In order to protect the YouTube community, we may prevent signed-out users from accessing YouTube videos when they're attempting to download material for offline use.

</blockquote>

<ref>[https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3037019 Troubleshoot YouTube video errors - YouTube Help]</ref>

It is not specified what preventing offline use is intended to protect against.

YouTube also regularly purges tutorial videos that show how to create local copies of videos.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120813001114/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkyqFiUrhTc How To Download Convert YouTube Videos 2 Anything] - ifxman (later removed by YouTube)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154012/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XLLOij1GSQ How to download youtube videos without any software] - Ritace40 (later removed by YouTube)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121003225255/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xf6uukCHmk Download Youtube Videos Free -- No Software!] - MKBHD (later removed by YouTube)</ref>

Instead, YouTube wants its users to pay monthly for its subscription service, YouTube Premium, to have any form of offline access to videos. YouTube Premium comes with a "download" feature, however, it is useless for long-term archival of videos given that it only lets users store temporary local copies of YouTube videos that are forcibly deleted after 29 days. In addition, to thwart any permanent preservation, the videos are stored with [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|data lock-in]] and proprietary encoding in a format only recognized by the YouTube app, to prevent local copying.<ref>[https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/L1S0SiBuJN8 Google is Locking Down Android - Mental Outlaw], 06:41</ref><ref>[https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7381437 YouTube videos offline FAQs - YouTube Help] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260207132551/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7381437 Archived])</ref><ref name=VirtualCuriosities>[https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files - Virtual Curiosities] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251126100053/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html What's Wrong with YouTube - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216041246/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html Archived])</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/cobalt_tools/comments/1lhmlqx/youtube_downloads_not_working_megathread/ YouTube downloads not working - Megathread] - /r/cobalt_tools - Reddit</ref>

While YouTube can advertise its Premium service as technically allowing "downloading", the deceptive marketing comes from exploiting the fact that the user expects so-called "downloading" to result in a file stored in the web browser's Download folder, accessible from other software, instead of the [[data lock-in]] that YouTube Premium actually has. The 29-day storage limit coupled with data lock-in render the built-in "downloading" feature of YouTube Premium useless for any long-term archival.<ref name=VirtualCuriosities />

Downloading local copies of YouTube videos through "unofficial" and "unapproved" means is the only recourse against the loss of Internet history caused by videos being unpublished by channel owners or YouTube, and against a future shutdown of YouTube. As of 2026, there is no certainty that YouTube will be operating by the year 2050, for instance.

Whenever I tell people that we need to plan for the day when YouTube goes offline, I mostly receive weird reactions. It seems to be the case that people can't think of YouTube being gone. Unfortunately, I'm convinced that most people will face the day when we lose this enormous library of videos.

</blockquote>

- Karl Voit<ref>[https://karl-voit.at/cloud-dependencies/ My Dependencies on the Cloud] - Karl Voit ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216041319/https://karl-voit.at/cloud-dependencies/ Archived])</ref>

Videos can disappear from YouTube for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, channel owners decide to "move on" and delete (or otherwise unpublish) their entire history of uploads. Sometimes, videos contain something Google doesn't like and they take them down, one example being "Android is losing a big feature" by comedian Sam Tucker (SAMTIME).<ref>[https://odysee.com/@samtime:1/android-is-losing-a-big-feature:e Android is losing a big feature] by SAMTIME ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfccCB2Vz-M Original YouTube URL] - removed for unspecified violations.)</ref>

Sometimes, YouTube's community guidelines grow stricter, retroactively outruling existing content, and entire channels are taken down due to strikes on only a few videos, resulting in the collateral loss of all other videos, one famous example being Mumkey Jones.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8-ETSDgcs Mumkey Jones: YouTube's Most Wanted] - j aubrey ([https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/Te8-ETSDgcs GhostArchive mirror])</ref>

==References==

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 {{Main|Advertising overload}}
-Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |website=33rd Square |date=20 Jan 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.md/0x7Q3 |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu
+Advertisements are YouTube's primary source of revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=How YouTube Works |url=https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/sharing-revenue/ |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260101140008/https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/creator-economy/ |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> This has led to advertisements becoming more pervasive on the platform<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jordan |date=20 Jan 2024 |title=Why YouTube Has So Many Ads (and Why There Will Probably Be More) |url=https://www.33rdsquare.com/software-app/why-youtube-has-so-many-ads-and-why-there-will-probably-be-more/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/GjC82 |archive-date=24 Feb 2026 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |website=33rd Square}}</ref> such as an increasing number of spaces for static ads, longer ad breaks (which some users have documented being longer than the videos they watch<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siddiqui |first=Aamir |title=Frustrated YouTube viewers seek explanation for hour-long unskippable ads (Updated: Clarification) |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |website=Android Authority |date=27 Jan 2025 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128162022/https://www.androidauthority.com/youtube-long-unskippable-ads-problem-3519957/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dirscherl |first=Hans-Christian |last2=Lee |first2=Joel |title=Hours-long unskippable ads spotted on YouTube. What’s going on? |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |website=PCWorld |date=28 Jan 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129183554/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2590352/hours-long-unskippable-ads-spotted-on-youtube-whats-going-on.html |archive-date=29 Jan 2025}}</ref> and most prevalent on YouTube TV<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adegbola |first=Anu
 |title=YouTube tests longer CTV ad breaks |url=https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |website=Search Engine Land |date=16 Aug 2024 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816143812/https://searchengineland.com/youtube-tests-longer-ad-breaks-ctv-445248 |archive-date=16 Aug 2024}}</ref>), increased ad frequency in videos,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Arol |title=YouTube is Adding Even More Ads |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |website=How-To-Geek |date=26 Apr 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426192258/https://www.howtogeek.com/youtube-is-adding-even-more-ads/ |archive-date=26 Apr 2024}}</ref> and poorer quality ads.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |author=T3rr0r |title=BAD Mobile Game Ads |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |website=YouTube |date=17 Oct 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=dRjGn54O4Zg |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Knoblauch |first=Max |title=Why are mobile game ads so weird and bad? |url=https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |website=Sherwood News |date=14 Jun 2024 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614151756/https://sherwood.news/business/mobile-game-ads-industry-fake-misleading/ |archive-date=14 Jun 2024}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |author=Saberspark |title=The DISGUSTING State of Mobile Game Ads (and why YouTube LOVES IT) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |website=YouTube |date=18 Sep 2021 |access-date=12 Jul 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=KsKlfN9phAs |archive-date=26 Jan 2026}}</ref> Practices are also put into place in order to force non-paying users into seeing these ads as well, such as subscription-gating playing videos in the background.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AEC |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=6 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260206072120/https://www.youtube.com/premium?ybp=Sg0IBhIJdW5saW1pdGVk4AED |archive-date=6 Feb 2026}}</ref>
@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 ===Offline video DRM===
-The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management]] (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium |website=YouTube |date= |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.is/u9yLW |archive-date=11 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |website=[[Google]] |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025}}</ref>
+The YouTube Mobile application permits users with a YouTube Premium subscription to download videos for offline viewing. However, the downloaded content is protected by [[Digital rights management|Digital Rights Management]] (DRM) that requires the application to establish an online connection with YouTube's servers at least once every 48 hours to maintain playback functionality. This requirement is not prominently featured on the primary YouTube Premium marketing page and is detailed instead within the platform's support documentation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |date= |title=YouTube Premium |url=https://www.youtube.com/premium |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251111004845/https://www.youtube.com/premium |archive-date=11 Nov 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Watch videos offline on mobile in selected countries and regions |url=https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |website=[[Google]] |date=13 Jul 2025 |access-date=11 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719175650/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6141269 |archive-date=19 Jul 2025}}</ref>
 Saved videos are forcibly deleted after 29 days. [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|Data lock-in and proprietary encoding]] prevents the user from making permanent copies of videos, even those licensed under Creative Commons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Noel |title=Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files |url=https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |website=Virtual Curiosities |date=7 Dec 2024 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251126100053/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files |archive-date=26 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Mental Outlaw |title=Google is Locking Down Android |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |website=YouTube |date=28 Aug 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=L1S0SiBuJN8 |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>
@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 In November 2025, multiple YouTube channels, including Enderman, Scratchit Gaming, and 4096 were reportedly terminated in a massive ban wave under false reasons, such as association with a Japanese-language channel "椛のスターレイル遊び" which translates roughly as "Momiji plays Honkai: Star Rail Adventures," a reference to a Japanese role-playing game. Some have blamed the ban wave on the malfunctions of YouTube's AI-powered moderation system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |title=Big YouTube channels are being banned. YouTubers are blaming AI. |url=https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |website=Mashable |date=4 Nov 2025 |access-date=2 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221125020/https://mashable.com/article/big-youtube-channels-terminated-creators-blame-ai |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref>
-=== API restrictions ===
+===API restrictions===
 In June 2023, YouTube forced Matt Wright, maintainer of the YouTube Metadata tool, to remove the exporting feature which let people export YouTube metadata such as video descriptions into a file. This did not include the videos themselves. It can be assumed that this is the "tip of an iceberg" and YouTube made many such requests without them being publicly documented.<ref>[https://github.com/mattwright324/youtube-metadata/discussions/150 Export Feature? · mattwright324/youtube-metadata · Discussion #150 · GitHub] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251214094758/https://github.com/mattwright324/youtube-metadata/discussions/150 Archived])</ref>
+=== Prevention of offline video preservation (downloading) ===
+Creating permanent local copies of videos is strongly discouraged by YouTube.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkojLslXg5M Vsauce Answers the 100 Most Googled Questions &#x7C; WIRED] (at 7:20 and 8:57)</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com:443/watch?v=IVPriyYwd-E How To Legally Download YouTube Videos] - Tim Schmoyer - Video Creators TV (clickbait - it is an advertisement for "YouTube Red", the earlier name of "YouTube Premium", and only shows the built-in "downloading" feature of YouTube Studio that lets channel owners download only their own uploaded videos)</ref> YouTube is taking measures to prevent people from backing up videos locally. From a YouTube help center article:
+<blockquote>
+In order to protect the YouTube community, we may prevent signed-out users from accessing YouTube videos when they're attempting to download material for offline use.
+</blockquote>
+<ref>[https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3037019 Troubleshoot YouTube video errors - YouTube Help]</ref>
+It is not specified what preventing offline use is intended to protect against.
+YouTube also regularly purges tutorial videos that show how to create local copies of videos.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120813001114/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkyqFiUrhTc How To Download Convert YouTube Videos 2 Anything] - ifxman (later removed by YouTube)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120713154012/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XLLOij1GSQ How to download youtube videos without any software] - Ritace40 (later removed by YouTube)</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121003225255/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xf6uukCHmk Download Youtube Videos Free -- No Software!] - MKBHD (later removed by YouTube)</ref>
+Instead, YouTube wants its users to pay monthly for its subscription service, YouTube Premium, to have any form of offline access to videos. YouTube Premium comes with a "download" feature, however, it is useless for long-term archival of videos given that it only lets users store temporary local copies of YouTube videos that are forcibly deleted after 29 days. In addition, to thwart any permanent preservation, the videos are stored with [[Data_lock-in#Videos_downloaded_inside_the_YouTube_app|data lock-in]] and proprietary encoding in a format only recognized by the YouTube app, to prevent local copying.<ref>[https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/L1S0SiBuJN8 Google is Locking Down Android - Mental Outlaw], 06:41</ref><ref>[https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7381437 YouTube videos offline FAQs - YouTube Help] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260207132551/https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7381437 Archived])</ref><ref name=VirtualCuriosities>[https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files Warning: Youtube Premium "Downloads" aren't MP4 Files - Virtual Curiosities] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251126100053/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3383/warning-youtube-premium-downloads-arent-mp4-files Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html What's Wrong with YouTube - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216041246/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html Archived])</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/cobalt_tools/comments/1lhmlqx/youtube_downloads_not_working_megathread/ YouTube downloads not working - Megathread] - /r/cobalt_tools - Reddit</ref>
+While YouTube can advertise its Premium service as technically allowing "downloading", the deceptive marketing comes from exploiting the fact that the user expects so-called "downloading" to result in a file stored in the web browser's Download folder, accessible from other software, instead of the [[data lock-in]] that YouTube Premium actually has. The 29-day storage limit coupled with data lock-in render the built-in "downloading" feature of YouTube Premium useless for any long-term archival.<ref name=VirtualCuriosities />
+Downloading local copies of YouTube videos through "unofficial" and "unapproved" means is the only recourse against the loss of Internet history caused by videos being unpublished by channel owners or YouTube, and against a future shutdown of YouTube. As of 2026, there is no certainty that YouTube will be operating by the year 2050, for instance.
+<blockquote>
+Whenever I tell people that we need to plan for the day when YouTube goes offline, I mostly receive weird reactions. It seems to be the case that people can't think of YouTube being gone. Unfortunately, I'm convinced that most people will face the day when we lose this enormous library of videos.
+</blockquote>
+- Karl Voit<ref>[https://karl-voit.at/cloud-dependencies/ My Dependencies on the Cloud] - Karl Voit ([https://web.archive.org/web/20260216041319/https://karl-voit.at/cloud-dependencies/ Archived])</ref>
+Videos can disappear from YouTube for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, channel owners decide to "move on" and delete (or otherwise unpublish) their entire history of uploads. Sometimes, videos contain something Google doesn't like and they take them down, one example being "Android is losing a big feature" by comedian Sam Tucker (SAMTIME).<ref>[https://odysee.com/@samtime:1/android-is-losing-a-big-feature:e Android is losing a big feature] by SAMTIME ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfccCB2Vz-M Original YouTube URL] - removed for unspecified violations.)</ref>
+Sometimes, YouTube's community guidelines grow stricter, retroactively outruling existing content, and entire channels are taken down due to strikes on only a few videos, resulting in the collateral loss of all other videos, one famous example being Mumkey Jones.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8-ETSDgcs Mumkey Jones: YouTube's Most Wanted] - j aubrey ([https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/Te8-ETSDgcs GhostArchive mirror])</ref>
 ==References==