[rorychatt]

Is this legal?

In Google's Terms and Conditions, it's says that bypassing ads violates Youtube's terms and conditions. https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/14129599?hl=en#:~:....

[effie]

Just because something is written in terms and conditions, does not mean it is the word of God (or courts).

More generally, do you have to legally agree to Terms and Conditions to communicate with service provider's servers over HTTPS? Do you legally agree to them after you communicate one packet in such a way?

I don't think when Google crawls various websites, that Google has to agree to various licenses those website owners may have, or that its crawling of them implies such agreement.

It's ridiculous to believe that a magazine publisher, or a TV provider can require users to watch or hear the ads. Real life shows many people intentionally don't, using various methods, and I see no reason why Youtube provider should be different in this.

[rorychatt]

> More generally, do you have to legally agree to Terms and Conditions to communicate with service provider's servers over HTTPS? Do you legally agree to them after you communicate one packet in such a way?

Browsewrap agreements (agreeing by using the site) are pretty much unenforceable to your point. I'm not sure this is the same thing however.

Youtube don't offer a customer facing consumable service for offering an ad free experience outside of Premium or their Developer API. The app is deliberately bypassing the provided services. Bypassing those published mechanisms is hacking, and depending on where you are, may not be legal. I suspect for most consumers of HN, this would be the case.

Browser crawlers fall under fair use. I'm not sure this does.

I get it. I don't like ads either.

[EMIRELADERO]

It is legal, Invidious hasn't signed that agreement and doesn't use YouTube's API.

They got a legal letter from YouTube[0] to which they responded publicly.

> "They don't understand that we never agreed to any of their TOS/policies, they don't understand that we don't use their API."

[0] https://github.com/iv-org/invidious/issues/3872

[abnry]

Isn't using the website kind of like using an API?

[bagels]

End users can be sued or blocked.

[RockRobotRock]

Nope! The real question is who cares or is willing to do something about it.