iOS -YouTube app showing augmented ads now
from TheWorldRolledMe@lemmy.world to privacy@lemmy.ml on 13 Aug 2024 19:23
https://lemmy.world/post/18607661

I’ve not seen this before but it was strange.

An ad loaded at the end of a video, so I paused it. What caught my eye was the background was moving when I moved my phone, which turned out to be the room I was in. The ad was overlayed on whatever my camera was looking at, but the ad appeared stretched from a single point in the middle of the screen, which was even weirder.

Edit: The ad was using the rear camera, not the front facing one.

I’ve looked through my phones settings and there are no options to toggle YouTube’s camera access either, so I feel like it’s safe to say this is being forced on users (surprise /s).

Needless to say, that app is no longer on any of my devices :)

#privacy

threaded - newest

GravitySpoiled@lemmy.ml on 13 Aug 2024 19:29 next collapse

Wtf. Newpipe for the win

(Sorry apple users)

Lemongrab@lemmy.one on 13 Aug 2024 21:19 collapse

Yatee on iOS

narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee on 13 Aug 2024 19:44 next collapse

If there’s no setting in the iOS Settings app to take away the camera permission (which isn’t even given by default and the app has to ask for it), it can’t access the camera (unless it exploits a potential vulnerability in iOS, which I highly doubt).

It probably used data from motion sensors and the reason you saw your room was because of the glossy display. Or you have allowed the YouTube app to access your camera.

TheWorldRolledMe@lemmy.world on 13 Aug 2024 20:26 collapse

I agree with your logic but when I reinstalled the app to see if I did allow camera access, the only prompt that came up is to request permission to send notifications.

Then again, it was logged in with a Google account so maybe it has something to do with the account permissions? I’ll be able to investigate that later tonight to be sure but even after logging out and a fresh download, it still prompted for only notifications.

Regarding the glossy screen, it was displaying from the rear facing camera. I apologize for not mentioning that in my post but I’ll update it to reflect that.

Edit: typed front facing instead of rear facing

Petter1@lemm.ee on 14 Aug 2024 09:27 collapse

You have to press the plus button in the tab bar for youtube to ask for permission of camera and microphone.

And after you got the popup, it is shown in iOS privacy settings.

TheWorldRolledMe@lemmy.world on 14 Aug 2024 21:39 collapse

I’ll take a look in the app again but wouldn’t uninstalling it and downloading it again reset permissions?

I’ve reinstalled it but I don’t see the button you mentioned, unless you were referring to the desktop/browser version? There are no settings about camera permissions in the app itself or in iOS settings

Petter1@lemm.ee on 14 Aug 2024 22:35 collapse

<img alt="" src="https://lemm.ee/pictrs/image/b9b9de8f-054d-445b-bce5-03cabd736e2f.png">

TheWorldRolledMe@lemmy.world on 14 Aug 2024 22:43 collapse

Thank you. I signed in and was able to see the button.

I denied permissions for both the camera and notifications but now I can see the options to toggle them under settings. I will use the app for awhile and see if issues come up again

pipariturbiini@sopuli.xyz on 13 Aug 2024 19:45 next collapse

Waiting for phone manufacturers to integrate physical camera covers like on new laptops.

yoshisaur@lemm.ee on 13 Aug 2024 19:53 next collapse

use uYouEnhanced (it’s iOS only and on github). gotta build it yourself with your own decrypted youtube IPA. haven’t seen an ad in years because of it. it also includes sponsorblock and free downloads

due to apple’s stupid side loading policies, you gotta sideload this through a service like AltStore or Sideloadly so you can actually launch the app. i personally recommend sideloadly because they allow 1 more app to be signed than altstore, and they let you enable file permissions for apps you download

github.com/arichornloverALT/uYouEnhanced

[deleted] on 13 Aug 2024 19:57 next collapse
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TheWorldRolledMe@lemmy.world on 13 Aug 2024 20:16 collapse

Thank you! I’m going to check this out tonight

yoshisaur@lemm.ee on 13 Aug 2024 20:25 collapse

of course! i recommend downloading an older version of youtube by at least 2 builds (if the newest is 19.30, go for 19.28). i also recommend taking a while to go through all the settings. there are a ton of things you can tinker with to make youtube better

possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip on 14 Aug 2024 02:22 next collapse

Makes sense. This is what happens when you use malware.

sic_semper_tyrannis@lemmy.today on 14 Aug 2024 06:43 next collapse

I hope this is the awakening you need to get rid of Apple devices, as well as all crappy spy devices, and use a privacy friendly setup such as GrapheneOS.

[deleted] on 14 Aug 2024 10:06 collapse
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rowdyrockets@lemmy.world on 14 Aug 2024 08:19 next collapse

This is not how iPhone camera access works. The only way this would be possible would be for Google to be exploiting some permissions bug. Doing so would be cause for the developer account to be banned.

Petter1@lemm.ee on 14 Aug 2024 09:26 collapse

I bet you have given access before and accidentally touched the plus button in the tab bar at strange timing.