Toogles is (was) a super lean app to search and watch YouTube videos without all of the other crap that YouTube.com brings with it (comments, suggested videos, subscriptions, etc.).
I created it back in 2012, as a way to learn AngularJS and Zurb Foundation. Since then, it’s built up a small but dedicated community of users who just want to watch videos without all of the bloat. In the month of July, it got just over 100k pageviews.
Sadly, Google finally put an end to it. This morning, I was emailed that my API access was shut down for using it to run an app that clones the basic functionality of YouTube.com.
The specific complaint is:
You and your API Clients must not, and must not encourage, enable, or require others to use YouTube API Services to create, offer, or act as a substitute for, or substantially similar service to, any YouTube Applications. API Clients must not mimic or replicate YouTube’s core user experiences by recreating features or process flows unless they add significant independent value or functionality that improves users’ interactions with YouTube. For example, an API Client must not recreate the browse experience from any YouTube Application without adding significant independent value to that flow.
YouTube Terms and Conditions
So that’s that. I can’t really argue that Toogles didn’t act as a substitute for a YouTube application, because that’s exactly what it did. I even had a Chrome extension to redirect YouTube.com video URLs to Toogles.
I am sad to have to say goodbye to my beloved Toogles. I am sad to be stuck with YouTube.com and all of the bloat and distraction that it brings. But I can’t say that Google is being unfair. I was breaking the rules, they found out, and that’s that.
Anyone know of any good browser extensions for stripping down YouTube.com? If so, tweet me.
Mike Crittenden 