this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2025
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Google just broke all third-party YT clients, including yt-dlp; a full JS implementation is now required. (github.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org to c/technology@lemmy.world
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.org/post/1872634

So, starting now, Google started mandating full JS for YT, effectively breaking all third-party clients and locking the site to their official client.

This reeks of DRM.

UPDATE: Installing Deno and installing yt-dlp through PyPi fixes yt-dlp but the very idea that Google is mandating JS to lock down YT in an attempt at pseudo-DRM is still crappy.

UPDATE #2: inv.nadeko.net is working again for now.

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[โ€“] crumbguzzler5000@feddit.org 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I'd love to know the stats of how many people are using the official mobile apps vs third party clients. Surely you're gonna break third party at some point that people just give up on YT.

[โ€“] DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 8 points 1 day ago

Most people are probably just using the official app without a second thought, or even the official web client on Chrome or Edge, or vanilla FF without an ad blocker or any other protections, whatsoever.

This JS thing still isn't a good sign of things to come should Google crack down even harder.