I might be an outlier here, and I know it's not cool to like anything Google, but YouTube has been a huge positive influence on my life. I've learned so much from it. I've trained the algorithm so that my interests overlap with YouTube's interest of keeping my eyes glued to the screen. I opened my feed right now, and it's all filled with videos about:

  - Bicycle repair
  - Bicycle touring
  - Home maintenance and DIY
  - Programming and infosec
  - Film analysis and reviews
  - Video game reviews
  - Dungeons & Dragons
  - Stand-up comedy

There's decades worth of shit content on YouTube, but I make heavy use of the "Not interested" and the "Don't recommend channel" options, and it really seems to work for me (because YouTube is just as interested as I am to give me content that I'll actually play).

I waste plenty of time on other websites, but no, I don't regret the time I spend on YouTube.

"don't recommend" doesn' work for me but immediately pressing 1 to skip intro or 8 for popular channels or 3 as most often is just a game changer for me.

I learned how to cook around 15 dishes in 2021... I never watched youtube prior to 2020 probably but since then it also taught me various origami techniques, React and how to read well :)

I think all the "useful" content on YT is for low IQ ppl not for HN crowd. So, yes if wathing concetrated and no if while doing something boring like cooking or eating.

That’s it’s purpose…. To keep you sitting there consuming ads.