From Reader Harry Dresden

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Let's not forget these alt video sites, as well.

Brighteon
https://www.brighteon.com/957ff2be-f551-4d07-bc84-061b6afba158

DailyMotion

Vimeo

Metacafe

IGTV

DTube

Veoh

Internet Archive

9Gag TV

The Open Video Project

Facebook’s Search Option

PeerTube

By Graham Smith

Recent widespread video removals have crypto YouTubers searching for greener and more dependable pastures for content production. While reports have since emerged of YouTube claiming the incident was an accident, and that videos are now being restored, the “Christmas Crypto Purge” of 2019 has nonetheless burnt an indelible memory into the minds of dedicated YouTubers. Many are now looking to back up their content or even migrate elsewhere, and suggesting more decentralized and censorship-resistant platforms for video sharing.

From claims of centralized, anti-crypto motivations on YouTube’s part and bot attacks, to anti-racist groups waging war on a perceived lack of multiculturalism in crypto, theories surrounding YouTube’s recent spate of video removals, strikes and bans vary wildly. Some have suggested that channels posting external links are the main sufferers. Others say the removals were a precaution against crypto-jacking malware. Still over know it is a purge against free speech.

Censorship-Resistant Video Sharing

Back in August news.Bitcoin.com detailed some crypto-powered video sharing platforms in the wake of earlier incidents of censorship and channel deletions, and also published a list of crypto social media platforms. This time around, along with classic suggestions some new platforms and protocols are emerging, and deserve a look.

BitChute

P2P video sharing platform BitChute has been around since 2017 and claims to provide greater censorship resistance through the use of webtorrent technology, though the practical reality of this claim has been challenged. Regarding monetization, the website states: “Rather than forcing creators to collect their tips and pledges solely through the BitChute platform, we are instead taking the approach of providing the facilities required for creators to link their content to the payment processors of their choice.” The site came onto the radar of many in the crypto space when popular right-libertarian conspiracy channel Infowars migrated after being censored by YouTube in August 2018.

BitTubers

Another webtorrent-powered P2P sharing system, and one still in early beta according to its website, BitTubers claims it “emphasizes free speech, fairness and unrestricted monetization across the board,” and notes “This platform is the successor to bit.tube, launched in mid 2018.” BitTubers also claims it does not seek to compete with other platforms, but uses its own app to build parallel integration systems which can monetize cross-posted content outside the purview of YouTube and others. BitTubers promises “no economic censorship” and also has its own associated crypto, TUBE.

Cinema.cash

Similar to BitTubers’ parallel monetization ecosystem approach, BCH-based Cinema.cash offers an open platform for uploaders to post videos via YouTube link, and receive tips or set a paywall for their content. While this doesn’t address the issue of delistings by YouTube, and the site is currently not very active, it does provide a potential means by which to evade YT demonetization.

DTube

Steemit-associated DTube (warning: some Dtube thumbnail images may be NSFW) claims to be “the first crypto-decentralized video platform, built on top of the STEEM Blockchain and the IPFS peer-to-peer network.” The Interplanetary File System (IPFS) and Steem blockchain are leveraged so that “D.Tube is not able to censor videos, nor enforce guidelines.” Rewards and monetization are made possible via Steem, DTube Coin, and others. While still growing and viewed as very promising by many, periodic issues with the IPFS protocol struggling to accommodate user requests has been noted.

DLive is a former Steem-based platform that now operates on the Lino blockchain and has become a hub especially for gamers and live streamers. The platform boasts that unlike other comparable companies, it does not take any cuts from user rewards. “When you stream on DLive, the platform doesn’t take any of your earnings … 90.1% of each subscription and gift in Lemon [in-app digital asset] will go to your wallet directly, and 9.9% will go to a pool that rewards people with LINO Stake for their contributions to the network on a daily basis,” the website states.

Flote

Flote is a centralized, crypto-friendly alternative which presents a Facebook-meets-Patreon like UI and claims to be a “Community-driven social network focused on user privacy & monetization. No algos, no spying, no fees, no problem.” Flote is working on incorporating direct live streaming, but for now users need to use software such as OBS to livestream. Flote supports “.mp3 audio, .mp4 video, and .jpeg, .png, and .gif images” for upload. It should be noted that while Flote is associated with pro-privacy and free speech values, and presents many interesting features such as a no algorithm, chronological timeline, monetization of tiered content and bitcoin subscriptions, the site is not decentralized, and the integrated bitcoin wallet is custodial.

Lbry

There is much buzz surrounding emergent sharing protocol and blockchain Lbry recently. Lbry features its own distributed ledger and coin, LBC, decentralizing the sharing process by allowing a network of users to pay content owners for digital signatures which give access to desired content. The downloadable protocol, like others mentioned above, provides opportunity for parallel incentivization of content posted on various websites. “The blockchain records everything that is published to LBRY, so interesting content is easy to find and infringing content is difficult to hide,” Lbry notes. “Accessing the blockchain data is free, the costs for downloading content are transparent, and publishers earn 100% of the price they set.”

PeerTube

Rounding out the list of YouTube alternatives is PeerTube. Unique in its approach, PeerTube leverages groups or “federations” of content sharers agreeing on rules and governance and “is not meant to become a huge platform that would centralize videos from all around the world. Rather, it is a network of inter-connected small videos hosters.” PeerTube maintains: “Anyone with a modicum of technical skills can host a PeerTube server, aka an instance. Each instance hosts its users and their videos. In this way, every instance is created, moderated and maintained independently by various administrators.” Like BitChute and BitTubers, PeerTube utilizes webtorrent technology.