ClintAug 9, 2024
Michael Porter

(Since this is getting traction, a slight edit to add a reminder that we're using many different devices, platforms, and apps - This is my experience and YMMV, but you're a smart person, you can figure it out 👍🏻)

Hey Tooters - If you are linking to YouTube videos, don’t use the “Share” function in YouTube to generate the link. Copy and paste the URL from your address bar.

Using the “Share” function generates a generic preview in Mastodon, whereas cutting and pasting the actual URL gives a nice preview for the video, including the title.

The preview for my image below might be cropped in your browser, click to see the comparison.

#Communication #Mastodon #YouTube

Aug 9, 2024 at 4:05pmWeb
Show threadSupadopeAug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter good to know, thanks!
Show threadDr. Eric J. Fielding, PhDAug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter Thanks for the explanation
Show threadNine Oh RealAug 9, 2024

@MichaelPorter
And simply copying the URL omits the source identifier part of the link that YouTube added some time ago.
(everything behind the "&si=")

Why you should delete that?

1. You post that link on social media, Google crowler finds it, checks the data base and now it knows this account on other social media belongs to you.
2. I click on your link and now Google knows our accounts are connected.

Show threadMichael PorterAug 9, 2024
@mythlfrythtyg Thank you, excellent point. Also a good idea to examine the end of a regular URL for all the stuff added on - There’s often stuff there that is only helping the marketers.
Show threadroodAug 9, 2024
@mythlfrythtyg @MichaelPorter a lot of links don't need anything after the question mark. With YouTube all you really want is the video code and a clean url to plug it into.
Show threadLed By Gilded FoolsAug 10, 2024
@mythlfrythtyg @MichaelPorter There's a graphic for that.
Show threadNine Oh RealAug 10, 2024

@MHowell
Check the last five lines of text in the graphic.
That graphic was the source I used for my posting.

And if anybody wonders why I didn't include it.
Tbh, I don't remember the reason. 🤷🏼‍♂️
Maybe I wanted to get around the "work" with the Alt-Text.
@MichaelPorter

Show threadSpaceHistory, etcAug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter @Nerdfest I just tried this, and what it posted was a generic square with a caption in German. Are you sure that your way of doing it is correct?
Show threadMichael PorterAug 9, 2024

@rlpaulprodn @Nerdfest Works for me, but with the myriad of OSes, devices, etc. your mileage may vary. I just wanted to put up notice that this was a thing - You’ll have to figure out what works for your device.

For the record, I noticed the difference in previews in my MacOS app, Mastodon, as well as on the web page in Safari. There are small differences, but the idea is the same.

Make sure you edit the URL carefully, so that you’re not cutting out any crucial bits.

Show threadSpaceHistory, etcAug 13, 2024
@MichaelPorter @Nerdfest Apparently I’m not the only person this happens to. This is a random YouTube link I saw today. Notice the German writing. Any idea how to not make it do this when you post YouTube videos to Mastodon? The video was not in German, just the writing in the link on Mastodon.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 13, 2024
@rlpaulprodn @Nerdfest No clue - Any chance you’re on a German VPN, or connected to the German YouTube site?
Show threadSpaceHistory, etcAug 14, 2024
@MichaelPorter @Nerdfest I’m not on a German VPN. When I created my YouTube channel, I did it in the US. I mean they *might* randomly assign people German addresses for new channels, but why?
Show threadMichael PorterAug 14, 2024
@rlpaulprodn @Nerdfest Yeah, I doubt that they’d do that. I got nothin’ 🤷🏻‍♂️
Show threadShailesh Kumar 🇫🇯🇺🇸Aug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter 👍
Show threadGlowing Cat of the Nuclear Wastelands ☣Aug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter I think this is a problem across all fedi platforms, and it's a relatively recent development: any link that's a forward or passes through a service (like cloudflare or whatever, to verify the visitor is "human") seems to get cut off from the correct link previews now. I noticed it happening when I link my INPRNT shop too, but there doesn't appear to be a work around like on youtube, because it's a "human verification" service that's causing it, as opposed to just a url shortener forward.

I don't remember when it started happening, but it was certainly within the last couple to few months.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 9, 2024
@deathkitten That matches my experience, too.
Show threadLukefromDCAug 21, 2024
@deathkitten @MichaelPorter Which is why I upload my videos directly into my Mastodon account rather than linking from the archive.org upload unless the file size is entirely too much.
Show threadjd 🔆 Account moved March 22 2026 to ottawa.placeAug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter
Thanks for that!
Show threadLee Fife - old accountAug 9, 2024
@MichaelPorter fwiw, I use share and then edit the link to delete everything after the question mark. Seems to work on both desktop and mobile. Gets a preview .And strips the tracking info .
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@colo_lee Even links starting with https://youtu.be/ ?
YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Show threadBram MeehanAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter One of the reasons I boosted was this choice of video. I hope you can play more up to par next time.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@BramMeehan I actually had it on deck for a different post... But it *is* one of my favourite scenes 😊
Show threadarclightAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter "Chy Chy Rodrigweez"
Show threadFraser Smith 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Aug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter Thanks for pointing this out. I have always used the link generated by the Share button. While it isn't immediate, it has also always generated a thumbnail and title, it just takes a while. I assumed there was a back-end task running on a schedule that handles that.
Show threadKevinFlynn Aug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter
Also, some content filters will block URL shorteners like youtu.be
Show threadElaAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter I'm using the youtube app. There is no address bar.
Show thread🌈 breaking ranks.Aug 10, 2024
@andreasdotorg @MichaelPorter after pasting the share link to the toot usually you can delete everything after the "?", should work fine AND generate a preview I think
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@andreasdotorg Yeah, they definitely don’t want you messing around with their tracking 😊
Show threadspinbackwardsAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter Great tip, thanks!
Show threadHumble Fan of Atty. WooAug 10, 2024

@MichaelPorter

WKRP in Cincinnati

Show threadJWcph, Radicalized By DecencyAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter Good tip - although I feel like I'm seeing mixed results; I usually copy-paste from the address bar but sometimes there's no preview, and conversely, sometimes if I do use the "Share" function (say, if I want to include the time code) the preview works just fine 🤔 also, sometimes if I paste two YT links in the same toot, it will preview one of them (can't determine wich) but other times it will preview neither...
Show threadIan RobinsonAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter There is no address bar in the apps. I use the Share button and remove the ?si= stuff.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@ianRobinson Yeah, I do more of this stuff on the computer, where it’s a little easier. Possible on my phone, but a bit more work.
Show threadChris FergusonAug 10, 2024

@MichaelPorter
@dangillmor

I've noticed this too... Really unfortunate! Hope it can get fixed soon... It's very annoying when I want to share a link to my live stream as it means I need to paste the link, go to it, and copy from the url bar. Currently, it's the fastest workflow I have to get the url from my stream setup page.

Show threadYurkshireLadAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter generating a YouTube preview probably includes tracking, so more data gathered for Google.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024

@YurkshireLad Maybe - You’re stripping out the source identifier this way, but anytime you click on something I supposed there are ways that you can be tracked.

To be honest, my main motivation was just to get the actual video title and video preview back. Stripping the source identifier was a bonus.

Show threadBob BrylaAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter Similarly for Amazon products -- I get the link from the address bar, trim off about 75% of the link after the product ID, and share that. Works great and Amazon doesn't know who or where it came from.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@ExadataDBA Yes! I do this all the time, too 😊
Show threadAlexander DyasAug 10, 2024

@MichaelPorter Mastodon and/or the Mastodon clients could do this automatically.

#MastodonDevs #icecubesapp

Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024

@alexanderdyas They could, but I imagine the solution would vary, depending on the source URL. I often strip the end off of URLs, but what works depends on the URL, so there’s no general solution. Harder to make a case to the Mastodon Devs if it isn’t a widely-desired solution.

I think? I haven’t thought about it enough, and I’m not a dev, so I don’t know the obstacles involved. Are there enough people interested in stripping YouTube URLs to implement something?

Show threadAlexander DyasAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter I need to look at the details a little more, but if it’s simply a matter of removing the question mark and everything after it that’s trivial.
Show threadYeriAug 10, 2024
@alexanderdyas @MichaelPorter 100% — should be fixed by mastodon imo
Show threadDeb has moved! (see profile) 🇨🇦Aug 10, 2024

@MichaelPorter Oh! I wondered why youtube was advertising instead of giving a real preview. Thanks.

I hope they learn: it made me less likely to click through.

I will do this.

Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024

@deborahh I’m wondering if the behaviour is the same on the corporate social media sites - Threads, etc. I don’t have accounts there, so no way to test.

YouTube is owned by Google, and they aren’t currently running a social media app… Or are they? They seem to play with things for a while, and then kill them. Is Google run by cats? 😸

Show threadDeb has moved! (see profile) 🇨🇦Aug 13, 2024
@MichaelPorter now, that woukd explain a lot. 😂😖
Show threadMarcus JenkinsAug 10, 2024

@MichaelPorter Hey, thanks for the tip! I've gone back a few months cleaning up my toots.

Do you know any way to get my toots with links to The Guardian newspaper articles to show the headline image from the article, too?

Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@marcusjenkins I tried posting a Guardian link, but all I see is the headline, no image. I didn’t play with the URL at all - it didn’t have anything that could be stripped. This kind of thing might depend on the remote site - I tried with a local newspaper, and the preview came with an image. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Show threadI AM BANKSY ☕ / 🗑‍🔥Aug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter how oddly counterintuitive that the button designed to share would be the worst option to share.
Show threadMichael PorterAug 10, 2024
@xinit Maybe counterintuitive, but *totally* characteristic of the marketplace today, sadly.
Show threadJJ KrawczykAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter
Thanks. I’ve been wondering why that happens.
Show threadFlorian Schroiff Aug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter probably something @Mastodon should fix on their end…
Show threadKarl AuerbachAug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter The "share" link contains a tracker element; the cut-and-paste URL does not.
Show threadBicycling Monterey 💚🌎🌍🌏Aug 10, 2024
@MichaelPorter And we appreciate #DuckDuckGo’s Duck Player. https://sfba.social/@bikemonterey/112931060117347744
Bicycling Monterey (@[email protected])

https://duckduckgo.com/duckduckgo-help-pages/duck-player/ “Show me what it means to love…to sacrifice so others live,” by Land of Color duck://player/iMB2jjVbKr0 / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMB2jjVbKr0 If you prefer, as we do, to watch/listen to videos via the Duck Player, instead of on Youtube, refer to the Duck Duck Go link we’ve shared above. #ClimateJustice #EarthStewardship #ClimateHope

SFBA.social
Show threadMichael PorterAug 11, 2024
@bikemonterey Thank you! Just tried Duck Player, and it’s awesome! I wasn’t aware it existed before.
Show threadDavid Mitchell Aug 11, 2024

@MichaelPorter

Thanks! … and excellent choice of an example clip!

Show threadWilhelm GereAug 11, 2024
@MichaelPorter
Thanks, I did not know that.
Show threadBill RickerAug 11, 2024
@MichaelPorter
Nice edit!
Show threadErosBlog Bacchus has moved!Aug 11, 2024

@MichaelPorter Generalizing, unpredictable link preview behavior because of shenanigans at link source is frequent problem in my Mastodon experience. IMO it's always worth taking a few moments to make sure I'll get a nice preview.

I have even been known to test for a good preview by:

1) posting a test toot that's just the bare link;

2) rapidly mashing the star/unstar button until my server catches up and shows me the preview;

3) rapidly deleting the test toot, then taking my time composing.

Show threadMichael PorterAug 11, 2024
@ErosBlog Sounds familiar 😄
For these texts, I set the visibility to “Mentioned people only" so I wouldn't be disturbing anyone. Not sure how that affects propagation, though. Maybe it won't leave my instance if it's not cast wider.
Show threadErosBlog Bacchus has moved!Aug 11, 2024
@MichaelPorter I never thought of that! Pretty sure it would work for my testing purposes. Thank you!