HACKER Q&A
📣 mandmandam

What is going on with YouTube Shorts links?


Every once in a while I go to the Youtube Home page, and click on a Youtube Short.

Over 80% of the time, this leads me to a totally different short, seemingly completely at random, with a different url and theme.

I click back, click the link again - if it's even still there - and maybe half the time it brings me to the actual link.

This is somewhat new behavior. It happens on Firefox, every version for at least a month now.

Generally, I avoid anything that redirects links like this. It's rude at best, and feels sinister. But, I'm curious how YouTube could have messed this up so bad. It doesn't seem possible that this isn't on purpose.

Has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone have insight as to what's going on?


  👤 lleb97a Accepted Answer ✓
I don't make a habit of watching shorts, but the one I did earlier - a motorsports highlight- did the exact thing you're describing.