YouTube recommending random live streams? You're not alone

Let’s face it, we all love a good YouTube recommendation. It’s like having a friend suggest that perfect next video to watch. Lately though, that friend seems to be having a wild weekend. YouTube users are reporting an influx of unrelated and often bizarre livestreams in their recommended feeds, from crypto scams to niche historical lectures. Even the diligent “Not interested” button appears powerless against this onslaught, although it isn’t surprising.

The chaos began rolling in over the weekend, with frustrated users detailing their plight on Reddit and X. From seemingly random live JRPG streams to suspicious crypto pitches, these live recommendations have little to nothing to do with users’ usual viewing habits.

So, what’s going on? While YouTube hasn’t officially commented, it’s likely a case of the algorithm gone rogue. These complex systems are constantly learning and adapting, and sometimes that learning takes a weird turn. Think of it as your friend going through a “how many conspiracy theories can I watch in a day?” phase. After all, something similar happened before, and YouTube fixed it.

What’s puzzling is the sheer randomness of these recommendations. From live streams of Korean BBQ taste tests to low-quality Tesla scam videos. It’s unclear why YouTube’s algorithm has gone haywire. Some users have even reported seeing livestreams from foreign channels in languages they don’t understand, which only adds to the confusion.

The good news? YouTube is constantly tweaking and improving its algorithm. So, if enough users report the issue (and by the sounds of things, plenty are!), it’ll likely be rectified soon. In the meantime, keep hitting that “Not interested” button and letting YouTube know what content isn’t floating your boat. It’s also possible this is a glitch in the algorithm, which won’t be happening for the first time.

But this incident does raise an interesting question: with algorithms becoming more and more sophisticated, how can we ensure they stay on track and recommend the videos we truly want to see? Maybe it’s time for YouTube to consider a more transparent approach, giving users a clearer picture of how their recommendations are generated and how they can fine-tune them.

Until then, here’s to hoping your next YouTube recommendation isn’t a surprise lecture on ancient Anatolian civilizations (unless, of course, that’s your thing).

YouTube users are also experiencing issues with YouTube TV VOD Olympics spoilers and ‘NaN’ error when rewinding and fast-forwarding videos. But unlike broken video recommendations, YouTube is already looking into these two issues.