I'm based in Canada and I'm getting bombarded with recommendations for Indian content on both YouTube and Prime Video, even though I've made it clear that I'm not interested. It feels like the algorithms are focused on my location's demographics rather than my actual viewing habits. I've only watched a couple of Indian videos — just one tech tutorial months ago — and I've never really enjoyed it. My tastes lean more towards gritty Scandinavian and Eastern European shows.
Here's what I've tried: On YouTube, I consistently skip Indian shorts and click 'Not interested' on videos in languages I don't understand. Despite creating a fresh Google account, I still end up with these recommendations. For Prime Video, I've never watched any Indian films, but they keep showing up prominently in my suggestions. Even the autoplay defaults to Indian movies. Is there a way to shut off location-based recommendations, reset what the algorithm suggests to me, or set stricter content preferences? The 'Not interested' option doesn't seem to do anything at this point, and it's becoming quite frustrating!
5 Answers
Honestly, the best way to avoid the Indian content is just to keep skipping it! You've shown your disinterest, but it's frustrating when algorithms aren't really listening.
Good luck! It seems like YouTube has been all over the place with ad recommendations lately. Have you thought about using a VPN to perhaps trick the platform into thinking you're in a different location? That might help shift the recommendations a bit.
Do you happen to use shared Wi-Fi at home or work? It's possible that your account is linked to work-related services. You could try creating yet another Google account to see if the same problem pops up again. Sometimes, it helps to shake things up with a fresh start!
It's pretty amusing if these recommendations are based on the changing demographics in Canada. But seriously, have you tried clearing your viewing history? Sometimes that can help reset what the algorithm thinks you like.
If you're on your home Internet, reaching out to your ISP might be worth it. They might be able to refresh your IP address, which could change what the algorithm thinks you want to see. Just a heads up, you might need to restart your modem and router afterward. If you're seeing these recommendations on mobile data too, a VPN could be your last best option.
Haha, asking your ISP to change your IP? That's a good one! But hey, it could actually work for some people.