# Youtube requiring sign-in to watch videos **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131 "2025-01-19T14:14:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/1 "2025-01-19T14:14:11Z")
As the title says, this is something that has just started happening to me. Is anyone else experiencing this? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/2 "2025-01-19T14:22:07Z")
Not for me - I get a cookie popup, but no requirement to sign in - this is just on the desktop/website version, not the app, right? ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/3 "2025-01-19T14:43:05Z")
Not the app, using safari on my iphone Maybe it’s an ios thing? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/4 "2025-01-19T14:43:27Z")
Hasn’t happened to me. Yet. No cookie popup, either. Desktop/website. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/5 "2025-01-19T14:47:20Z")
Hmmm I wonder, I have a subscription to avast, plus the free version of adblock and adguard, because none of those are perfect. I wonder if that could have something to do with it. I dunno, it’s just weird that it started happening all of the sudden ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/6 "2025-01-19T14:55:43Z")
Ok, developments happening at Castle Vader! I switched my vpn from Seattle Washington to Vancouver British Columbia just to see if it would work, and it did. I don’t know why, but, ok. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/7 "2025-01-19T14:57:53Z")
Doesnt youyube automatically keep you logged in whenever you visit it? It does for me on my Chrome browser ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/8 "2025-01-19T15:00:23Z")
I haven’t seen this - yet. But just starting yesterday, [indeed.com](http://indeed.com) has started wanting me to create an account just to view posted jobs. I’m not job-hunting, but sometimes I’m just curious to see who’s hiring for what. Not curious enough to create an account, though. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/9 "2025-01-19T15:18:30Z")
I’ve had that same issue a few times lately. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/10 "2025-01-19T15:31:41Z")
It does if you’re logged in to begin with. I rarely log in to things online. I dislike being logged in when I’m not using a service online and most of the time it’s just simpler to not log in at all unless absolutely necessary. > [@Loggins](#): > > Doesnt youyube automatically keep you logged in whenever you visit it? It does for me on my Chrome browser ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/11 "2025-01-19T15:44:08Z")
Is it for any videos or just some? I use youtube in a private (non-logged in) window when I’m watching something I don’t want affecting my suggestions. The only time it asks me to log in is if the content ‘may be inappropriate for some users’ and they want me to verify my age. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/12 "2025-01-19T15:45:56Z")
I do the same thing, to avoid having what I’m watching affect other suggestions. (For example, if I’m following a YouTube link from this board.) ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/13 "2025-01-19T15:54:30Z")
It’s any videos, private browsing or regular browsing. Seems to be tied to ip address number somehow. Seattle Washington server is blocked from watching unless logged in but Vancouver British Columbia is not. ---
**Author:** ![Unforgiven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7bcc69/32.png) [@Unforgiven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unforgiven)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/14 "2025-01-19T16:12:49Z")
Most likely it’s due to your use of a VPN. VPN’s get extra scrutiny in many apps because of the higher likelihood for abuse. Particularly if that VPN IP address has been flagged. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/15 "2025-01-19T17:27:58Z")
It happens to me intermittently with iOS Safari. I’m not using a VPN. I only see it when the video has been embedded in the post. A link to YouTube is fine. Getting it to successfully log in is a PITA as the dialog that says I need to seems partially obscured by the embedding. It’s been happening for a few months at least. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/16 "2025-01-19T20:11:38Z")
On my Roku TV it asks for a log in, but there is a guest option, so you don’t really have to. I’m signed in on my laptop already, so I wouldn’t have noticed a change. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requiring-sign-in-to-watch-videos/1013131/17 "2025-01-20T18:01:06Z")
Firefox on an old minimac desktop, running Noscript with most java turned off, no youtube account so never signed in. I get ads on youtube, but it works otherwise, and when the ads are obnoxious ones I can skip them after a few seconds. I just had to change my search engine, though, because Google suddenly started, about two days ago, demanding that I turn Java on – not only in the sense of enabling the specific google site/ability I’m trying to use, but apparently in the sense of turning on permission for something Noscript’s not even letting me see. I’m not turning on java globally on this old computer; I’m now using duckduckgo instead.