So I finally contacted Google disability support about the degrading accessibility of the youTube app for iOS. I'm fairly sure I was sent there from the youTube help site. I summarized a lot of the issues I and other Voiceover users have been having with the iOS app, particularly the hellish clutter of search results and recommended videos. The response I got today directed me to write to YouTube premium support, but the page they linked to is only for help with one-time purchases or ongoing subscriptions. As an alternative, I was told to post in the community. There was no acknowledgement of the issues and no offer to pass it along. It very clearly said "You've reached the wrong place."
My interpretation of this e-mail is simple: Google disability support can't file feedback about youTube. If there is a way to do so and reach an accessibility-aware person, I have not found it.
The youTube iOS app has now degraded to the point where it's painful to use. I think this is a good nudge to move the podcast feed generator in-house (literally) and start listening to videos in Overcast. It'll also make me less unfocused and dependent on the algorithm. #Accessibility#Google#YouTube#Enshittification
@simon Yep. It'll be necessary to ask for an escalation. I'm not sure who they got off the street to answer their Disability Answer Desk emails these days but it sure is terrible.
@darrell73 It's disappointing to know this isn't an isolated incident. I wrote back clarifying that the page they linked to had no relevant support options, I didn't need the forum since I am reporting feedback rather than asking for support, and do they actually have the ability to pass along feedback? I shouldn't have even needed to do that, but surely this will prompt an escalation if they're able to. I have a feeling maybe 5% of my original email was actually read.
@tinygirl@simon Omg yes I miss that app! Also how could you get videos to play in overcast? Like make an rss of your subscriptions or something? Terrible that you can't reach anyone to fix these things. Goes to show how we still aren't on an even playing field in 2024 and that accessibility accountability is lacking
@silverleaf57@tinygirl There's a project called Podsync which runs on Linux and continuously updates podcast feeds with new content. I'll just use that.
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