Tired of YouTube calling all the shots?
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@atomicpoet I think what I'm looking for is a way to convince people I know who make a living from youtube to give freetube a try, so I don't need to watch them on a platform that is enabling genocide against my people (and keeps breaking the client I use).
How will this help me to make that happen?
@KitsuneVixi What this gives you isn’t a better monetization scheme. At least not yet.
What it gives you is ownership. Real ownership.
Instead of being subject to whatever opaque rules a mega-platform decides to roll out next quarter, you get to help build and govern the thing itself. You get to shape the policies, decide how moderation works, and make sure the space aligns with your values—not some distant boardroom’s quarterly targets.
This isn’t about chasing higher payouts. It’s about creating a space that can’t suddenly yank the floor out from under you. A space that’s fair, stable, and collectively controlled.
If you want more money, YouTube is still where that happens. If you want power, voice, and long-term stability, this is where you build it. -
Tired of YouTube calling all the shots? It’s time to build something better—together.
Here’s the slide deck for a proposal to launch a PeerTube co-op.
Right now, there are three of us ready to get this off the ground. I’m looking for two more founder-members to bring us up to five. With that core, we’ll have the resources to make a PeerTube server not just viable, but sustainable—and built to last.
This isn’t about joining someone else’s platform. It’s about creating one. As a founder, you’ll have a real voice in governance and a direct hand in shaping content policies, by-laws, moderation rules, and more.
We’re staying early stage by design. This is the moment to get in, shape the vision, and build something that actually challenges the status quo. If that excites you, message me.
Slidedeck in .odp format: https://drive.proton.me/urls/ZRRBNK4XBM#RmYXrnhKXx3C
Slidedeck in .pptx format: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LgJvocTe6hH8bCw-yy-2o5QWSYCABkyL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108163627088117284715&rtpof=true&sd=true
@atomicpoet would you host videos for commercial websites that don’t want the “watch on YouTube” or advertisements to creep in? I’m not sure it’s a good idea, but it’s got me wondering if something like this might be a viable hosting alternative for certain corporate use.
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@atomicpoet would you host videos for commercial websites that don’t want the “watch on YouTube” or advertisements to creep in? I’m not sure it’s a good idea, but it’s got me wondering if something like this might be a viable hosting alternative for certain corporate use.
Drew Scott Daniels Purposely, I’m not setting policy on what kind of content gets hosted—or how it’s monetized.
That’s not my call to make. It’s ours.
This will be consensus-driven, decided by the people who actually co-own the platform—not dictated by me, and definitely not by some faceless corporate board.
Because that’s the whole point of a co-op: to serve the needs of its member-owners. If you want a say in the future of the platform, this is where that happens.
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@KitsuneVixi What this gives you isn’t a better monetization scheme. At least not yet.
What it gives you is ownership. Real ownership.
Instead of being subject to whatever opaque rules a mega-platform decides to roll out next quarter, you get to help build and govern the thing itself. You get to shape the policies, decide how moderation works, and make sure the space aligns with your values—not some distant boardroom’s quarterly targets.
This isn’t about chasing higher payouts. It’s about creating a space that can’t suddenly yank the floor out from under you. A space that’s fair, stable, and collectively controlled.
If you want more money, YouTube is still where that happens. If you want power, voice, and long-term stability, this is where you build it.@atomicpoet So who will be uploading videos to it? What's the incentive for people to?
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@atomicpoet So who will be uploading videos to it? What's the incentive for people to?
狐ヴィクシー Good question—and I think there might be a bit of a model mismatch here, so let’s clear that up.
This isn’t like YouTube, where some outside group of creators shows up after the fact because the platform already has reach or monetization baked in. This is a co-op. The people who join as member-owners are the ones who will be uploading.
There’s no separate “them.” The early adopters are the community. You’re not uploading to someone else’s platform—you’re building it, governing it, and using it. That’s the incentive.
If you want a space that aligns with your values, gives you a real say in how it’s run, and isn’t at the mercy of a corporation, this is where that starts.
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Tired of YouTube calling all the shots? It’s time to build something better—together.
Here’s the slide deck for a proposal to launch a PeerTube co-op.
Right now, there are three of us ready to get this off the ground. I’m looking for two more founder-members to bring us up to five. With that core, we’ll have the resources to make a PeerTube server not just viable, but sustainable—and built to last.
This isn’t about joining someone else’s platform. It’s about creating one. As a founder, you’ll have a real voice in governance and a direct hand in shaping content policies, by-laws, moderation rules, and more.
We’re staying early stage by design. This is the moment to get in, shape the vision, and build something that actually challenges the status quo. If that excites you, message me.
Slidedeck in .odp format: https://drive.proton.me/urls/ZRRBNK4XBM#RmYXrnhKXx3C
Slidedeck in .pptx format: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LgJvocTe6hH8bCw-yy-2o5QWSYCABkyL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108163627088117284715&rtpof=true&sd=true
I like the idea, but I'm puzzled at the same time.
You want to get rid of #Youtube (aka #Google ) calling the game and you like to talk about the #fediverse .
But you present it in a #microsoft #powerpoint document that you share on #googledocs ?
There are #opensource alternatives for that. Why not use #libreoffice for a start?
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I like the idea, but I'm puzzled at the same time.
You want to get rid of #Youtube (aka #Google ) calling the game and you like to talk about the #fediverse .
But you present it in a #microsoft #powerpoint document that you share on #googledocs ?
There are #opensource alternatives for that. Why not use #libreoffice for a start?
Eelco That’s a fair point—but this isn’t about liking or disliking Google, or about picking the “perfect” tool from day one.
It’s about building something through consensus. I’m not the one setting tool policy. This is a co-op, which means decisions like what platforms or software to use aren’t mine to dictate.
If you want a say in that—whether it’s LibreOffice, Nextcloud, or anything else—that happens collectively, at the table, as a member-owner. Personally, I believe that process makes it better.
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狐ヴィクシー Good question—and I think there might be a bit of a model mismatch here, so let’s clear that up.
This isn’t like YouTube, where some outside group of creators shows up after the fact because the platform already has reach or monetization baked in. This is a co-op. The people who join as member-owners are the ones who will be uploading.
There’s no separate “them.” The early adopters are the community. You’re not uploading to someone else’s platform—you’re building it, governing it, and using it. That’s the incentive.
If you want a space that aligns with your values, gives you a real say in how it’s run, and isn’t at the mercy of a corporation, this is where that starts.
@atomicpoet Then my next question is what are the pros and cons over uploading to a self hosted instance (like I've been thinking of)?
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@atomicpoet Then my next question is what are the pros and cons over uploading to a self hosted instance (like I've been thinking of)?
@KitsuneVixi The main benefit is cost and sustainability. Video hosting is expensive, and most solo PeerTube servers shut down because one person is left carrying everything: storage, bandwidth, moderation, and their own time.
With a co-op, those costs and responsibilities are shared among member-owners, which makes the whole thing far more financially and operationally stable. The platform isn’t tied to one person’s wallet or schedule, so it’s much more resilient over the long run.
Self-hosting absolutely works if you’ve got the resources and time, and some people will choose that. But a co-op offers a different path: shared infrastructure, shared governance, and a collective structure that makes it easier to keep things running sustainably. -
GunChleoc WTL Good question—no, it doesn’t need to stay at 3 people after incorporation.
Under BC’s Co-operative Association Act, a co-op must have a minimum of 3 directors at all times, but it can absolutely expand beyond that. In fact, most co-ops add more directors over time as membership grows.
The key is to make sure your bylaws allow for board expansion, which they typically do by default (e.g., “the number of directors must not be fewer than 3, and may be increased by ordinary resolution”). If someone drops out, the co-op just has to appoint or elect a replacement to stay above the legal minimum.
So: start with 3 for agility, but you’re not locked into that number. Growth is expected and built into the structure.
@atomicpoet @WTL That's good news
I don't have the spoons for another project, but I wish you good luck.
One technical hint: If you want to allow synchronization to YouTube, make sure to add a cron job that will update yt-dlp frequently. It's an arms race. You will also need to use it with a JavaScript engine: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/14404
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@atomicpoet @WTL That's good news
I don't have the spoons for another project, but I wish you good luck.
One technical hint: If you want to allow synchronization to YouTube, make sure to add a cron job that will update yt-dlp frequently. It's an arms race. You will also need to use it with a JavaScript engine: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues/14404
@gunchleoc @WTL I appreciate the well-wishes so much, and that technical advice is so much appreciated. -
@KitsuneVixi The main benefit is cost and sustainability. Video hosting is expensive, and most solo PeerTube servers shut down because one person is left carrying everything: storage, bandwidth, moderation, and their own time.
With a co-op, those costs and responsibilities are shared among member-owners, which makes the whole thing far more financially and operationally stable. The platform isn’t tied to one person’s wallet or schedule, so it’s much more resilient over the long run.
Self-hosting absolutely works if you’ve got the resources and time, and some people will choose that. But a co-op offers a different path: shared infrastructure, shared governance, and a collective structure that makes it easier to keep things running sustainably.@atomicpoet I think I'll keep it in mind. Is there anywhere I can find more info?
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Tired of YouTube calling all the shots? It’s time to build something better—together.
Here’s the slide deck for a proposal to launch a PeerTube co-op.
Right now, there are three of us ready to get this off the ground. I’m looking for two more founder-members to bring us up to five. With that core, we’ll have the resources to make a PeerTube server not just viable, but sustainable—and built to last.
This isn’t about joining someone else’s platform. It’s about creating one. As a founder, you’ll have a real voice in governance and a direct hand in shaping content policies, by-laws, moderation rules, and more.
We’re staying early stage by design. This is the moment to get in, shape the vision, and build something that actually challenges the status quo. If that excites you, message me.
Slidedeck in .odp format: https://drive.proton.me/urls/ZRRBNK4XBM#RmYXrnhKXx3C
Slidedeck in .pptx format: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LgJvocTe6hH8bCw-yy-2o5QWSYCABkyL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108163627088117284715&rtpof=true&sd=true
@atomicpoet I'd throw in a hundred bucks to help with hosting. I have way too much other stuff on my plate now to help found it though. #BC
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@atomicpoet I think I'll keep it in mind. Is there anywhere I can find more info?
@KitsuneVixi Not yet. We’re in the beginning stages. -
@atomicpoet I'd throw in a hundred bucks to help with hosting. I have way too much other stuff on my plate now to help found it though. #BC
@ddr That’s awesome. Let’s revisit after this gets established. -
@atomicpoet First of all, I should mention that I'm on Peertube, but it's awful. It doesn't work well for many reasons. One of them is the servers that open and close, leaving people stranded. The problem is money; you need a lot, no, a huge amount of money.
@juancho_me @atomicpoet
https://apps.yunohost.org/app/peertube
I assume bandwidth is the rate limiting step for those hosting off their own domestic internet connection!#peertube #yunohost #homelab #video #streaming #p2p #selfhosting #degoogle
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@juancho_me @atomicpoet
https://apps.yunohost.org/app/peertube
I assume bandwidth is the rate limiting step for those hosting off their own domestic internet connection!#peertube #yunohost #homelab #video #streaming #p2p #selfhosting #degoogle
doboprobodyne Juancho Exactly—PeerTube’s P2P functionality helps offset some of the egress costs, especially when multiple viewers are involved, since they share chunks of the stream with each other.
But even with that, hosting video is still very cost prohibitive for solo operators. Egress adds up quickly once you have more than a handful of viewers, and most domestic upstream connections just can’t handle sustained traffic.
That’s exactly why we’re looking at this through a co-op model—pooling resources makes it possible to handle those costs collectively, rather than leaving individuals to carry the entire load on their own.
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Eelco That’s a fair point—but this isn’t about liking or disliking Google, or about picking the “perfect” tool from day one.
It’s about building something through consensus. I’m not the one setting tool policy. This is a co-op, which means decisions like what platforms or software to use aren’t mine to dictate.
If you want a say in that—whether it’s LibreOffice, Nextcloud, or anything else—that happens collectively, at the table, as a member-owner. Personally, I believe that process makes it better.
@atomicpoet @eelcoa I had the same question.
If I were a member I would advocate using open source tools for internal communications. I'm not a content creator now, but I was thinking of starting a YouTube channel. I don't anticipate it being popular enough to monetize it, so the $0 financial cost was a big draw. But I love the idea of co-ops and hate the idea of handing reams of free data over to Google in return for hosting my vanity project, so I might be interested. It's not a huge buy-in. -
@atomicpoet @eelcoa I had the same question.
If I were a member I would advocate using open source tools for internal communications. I'm not a content creator now, but I was thinking of starting a YouTube channel. I don't anticipate it being popular enough to monetize it, so the $0 financial cost was a big draw. But I love the idea of co-ops and hate the idea of handing reams of free data over to Google in return for hosting my vanity project, so I might be interested. It's not a huge buy-in.@cswalker21 @eelcoa That’s exactly the kind of thinking we need. The point isn’t to compete with Google dollar-for-dollar—it’s to build something where creators own the ground they stand on.
The buy-in is intentionally low because this should be viable for people like you: folks who want to experiment, maybe grow into something bigger, without feeding the ad machine in the meantime.
And I can say for sure: I absolutely want to use open source tools for internal comms. It just makes sense for what we’re trying to build. -
Tired of YouTube calling all the shots? It’s time to build something better—together.
Here’s the slide deck for a proposal to launch a PeerTube co-op.
Right now, there are three of us ready to get this off the ground. I’m looking for two more founder-members to bring us up to five. With that core, we’ll have the resources to make a PeerTube server not just viable, but sustainable—and built to last.
This isn’t about joining someone else’s platform. It’s about creating one. As a founder, you’ll have a real voice in governance and a direct hand in shaping content policies, by-laws, moderation rules, and more.
We’re staying early stage by design. This is the moment to get in, shape the vision, and build something that actually challenges the status quo. If that excites you, message me.
Slidedeck in .odp format: https://drive.proton.me/urls/ZRRBNK4XBM#RmYXrnhKXx3C
Slidedeck in .pptx format: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LgJvocTe6hH8bCw-yy-2o5QWSYCABkyL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108163627088117284715&rtpof=true&sd=true
@atomicpoet I would read your proposal, but not from google.
I don't understand why you would use google docs when your proposing an alternative to a google video service...
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