(this is my first post im new) ive noticed something no one seems to have a problem with. do you have this problem to? am i just doing something wrong?

i use a privacy friendly browser plus a privacy friendly os and use fingerprint spoofer/blocker. i watch videos on invidious. i noticed that the “popular” tab shows videos related to videos i watched before. even if i clear my cookies, or change my idenity in (offiscial) tor browser i still get recommended related videos meaning no matter what i do google knows what i watch. whats worse, if i go on invidious on a totally different device with a normal broswer normal os, i get the same videos. meaning websites know what videos i watch across multiple sessions but also multiple devices. im sick of this. it feels like i’ve tried everything, sacrificed so much connivence but no results.

(this isn’t a question spefecifically about youtube google or invindious just how to get webisites to stop knowing everything i do across multiple identities and every device i use)

Things I tried

*Proton vpn+librewolf(max security according to settings)+nosircpt+Ublock(with the filters it comes with)+ officisal recommended invidious instances+Quad9 via settings

*Tails+Tor browser(max security settings apprentaly)+default bridge+no javascirpt+fingerprint spoofing estendsion+bluetooth disabled by tails+all the previous mentioned (exculding vpn i heard its risky)+invidious again (Tails doesn’t work well for me the police are not after me and it takes so long to start and presisent stoarage is annoying)

*Qubes+Whonix vm+Tor browser(max again)+no javascript (I love and hate qubes from my first impression it meets my security needs and you can run any os in a vm on it but i wish it just worked. theres a steep learning curve and my hardware isn’t the best for it)

No results on any of these just slower internet and some websites are broken. Its just like using a normal browser that tracks you but slow as a privacy one. im getting tired of this. i use all this super deep level paranoid overkill stufff and nothing happens. like im burning my house to get rid of a spider but the spider is still there

possible causes

-google wireless access point (does qubes/whonix/tor NOT protect against this at all??) (also my family HATES any changes or mild inconveniences)

-i logged in to google without a vpn **ONCE **does this automatically doom you forever **even ** if you change os and browser and device?

-hardware is framework laptop

for clairtiy

I am not -a criminal -a journalist -a gooner -willing to go off grid in the woods I am -creeped out -tired -about to give up

My privacy goals

-be able to actually cut ties with my shadow profile and have websites not know everything ive done in my life -control what data brokers and compaines knsw -not have any website at all know every device i use -be able to use any network safely

I feel like giving up on privacy because nothing seems to work. the only results I get is slower more broken internet

  • FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    3·
    2 hours ago

    OP, I’ve tried your experiment with Invidious + Tor browser. I’ve watched some vids about cooking. Then restarted Tor. Went back to the same Invidious instance. It didn’t show me any of what I watched. I got just the default vids for that instance.

    Hard to say what might be doing that for you. So, afraid I can’t be of much more help about that :(

    just how to get webisites to stop knowing everything i do across multiple identities and every device i use

    It’s very hard. Unfortunately. You’re up against the best data scientists in the world. And up against a legion of identity brokers. Believe me they are very very clever. If there is ANY way to deduce ppl’s idenity they will find and exploit it.

    I won’t say it’s impossible to do. But it’s one of those probs, where you have to block every method. They only need a single method you missed. On top of that, many sites won’t even let you in at all, if the identity broker server they use behind the scenes can’t peg your IRL ID with a threshold of confidence.

    • lemmingsareawesome@sh.itjust.worksOP
      1·
      2 hours ago

      i think its only if google thinks you’d actually like the video and it proly can tell if youre trying to possion the data. i tried other completely unrelated topics but they didnt work but i watched a channel that google thinks i liked watching based. on the previous ones i watched (which im trying to clear but nothing works)

      im not going to give up

      thanks for the comment

      • FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        i think its only if google thinks you’d actually like the video and it proly can tell if youre trying to possion the data.

        I’m not too sure. For one, I do sometimes watch cooking vids for real :). But I can try with some other topics too, which I watch normally. Be an interesting experiment.

        I suspect something else TBH. But I couldn’t guess about what since IDK anything about your setup and env etc except for your post.