> I never click on content outside those interests (even if it looks interesting to me)

That’s a little sad isn’t it? We’re too scared to click on content that looks interesting in case it angers the algorithm :-)

It is, kind of, but less so if you view instagram as a "tool".

I personally only use IG to follow my fellow figure skaters, but I do use YouTube like GP does: Curating, heavily, and clicking only with purpose.

I'm rewarded with superb recommendations. A seemingly endless treasure trove of high quality content. Educational content, as that's the main stuff I'm interested in.

I see youtube's algorithm as a tool: I learned how to use it to my own benefit. On paper it should "do its own thing", but AI isn't there yet and I don't know that I want it to be. What I know is that doing things this way has allowed youtube to have a profoundly positive impact on my life. In exchange, I bought youtube premium. So, win win.

Yeah I was thinking of this the other day with my YouTube usage. Me (and most I know in my generation) open any YT video with content we don't want marketed towards us in a private tab. Had someone comment on it when they were looking over my should the other day - and I realized that I just do it instinctively these days. Not even sure when I started or if it was a conscious decision... my generation just grew up with these algos and learned how to play them i guess

> And there are so many ads now. It feels like 25-33% of my feed, which is absurd. Every set of stories has an ad between them.

I believe it's published somewhere that both Facebook and Instagram insert an ad for every 3 news feed items or so.