The Internet is not kind to liberal veterans.

[Aristus]

The YouTube algorithm that suggests videos and assigns in-video advertising seems to think that anyone interested in military subjects must be a roid-raging, scraggly-bearded, tactical gear-wearing, right-wing "alpha-dog" survivalist.

As an ex-tanker, I watch just about every tank video I can access. I'll often watch videos about aircraft carriers and fighter jets, too, sometimes. But more, and more lately, I'm getting advertising clips interrupting my videos of stern-faced pols warning about "woke", camo-wearing army cosplayers trying to sell me camp stoves and water purifiers, and douchebearded anti-government types promising the race war and revolution which is coming soon.

I've been trying to do more keyword searches lately designed to throw the algorithm off a little, looking for soft, apolitical subjects like Star Wars, men's tailored clothing, etc.

But I'm still getting right-wing advertising. Drives me crazy.

[atreides1]

1. No it isn't

As you said...a lot of people assume that all veterans are MAGA hat wearing, right wing, clowns in blinders and without the ability to think for ourselves!

[marcopolo63]

11. I'm a Liberal-minded Vet too...

I served almost 4 years of active duty from ‘86 - ‘90 and then a few months more in ‘91 when recalled during Operation Desert Storm. That war was over before the Army knew what to do with us, and I never made it out of the US. In my original enlistment I spent 2 years in Germany as a medic in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. So I got to see some M1A1s, Bradley’s, Apache’s and A-10s do their thang - a sight to see and one I wouldn’t want to face as a combatant.

Anyway - I didn’t have a lot of long term military friends that I’d kept in touch with, but quite a few of us connected on Facebook in the late 2000’s. The majority went off the deep-end with tRump’s ascension to the Presidency and couldn’t take my anti-tRump social media posts. I was astounded at the racism so many seemed at ease to share publicly. Like any modern army unit we served side by side and worked together on a daily basis - whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, soldiers of all colors and nationalities. There were few if any racial problems or issues that I can recall.

After Obama was elected a lot of the weird hateful stuff began. I don’t know what happened to them or who these people had become since we served together, but I do wonder why so many became so full of hate. Even our old First Sergeant - a fair-minded and caring man back in the day, had turned into a hater, if not an outright racist with his anti-Obama rants. When I saw some posting online in support of tRump’s child separation policies and the caging of innocent people and children, that was the last straw for me. I called out a few of my old soldier-medic comrades and questioned how they could support the torture of kids. After that the end of this old Army “friends” group was complete! Most unfriended me and I said good-riddance. What a waste so many otherwise good Americans have become.

Glad to see any liberal vets speaking out! We need to say more and say it louder.

[Aristus]

13. Same thing happened to me.

I got back in touch with my tank platoon sergeant from when we were in the Gulf. This was about ten years ago. He turned out to be a hard-right Obama hater. I unfriended him after a couple of weeks.

He evidently had a habit of ‘friending’ attractive young women who looked young enough to be his daughter. His friends page was full of them. I figured: “Yeah, that tracks.”

[ChazInAz]

2. True words!

Not a vet, polio kept me out of Nam, but I'm the near-Mythical "Liberal Gun Owner".
Specifically: blackpowder muzzle loaders, the building and shooting thereof. The earlier, the better. One of my latest builds was a Sixteenth Century wheel lock that made me proud!
Needless to say, searching You Tube for related videos has brought me many snaggle tooths, scuttlefish and preppers.

[GreenWave]

3. But of course you took your oath seriously.

Not like those Oaf Keepers.

[Beartracks]

4. Lol @ "douchebearded"

[pwb]

5. Try typing car dealers near me in google.

They own You Tube. After I did that all I get now is new car ads. There are lots of them. Nice that I can skip most of them. Union Democrat all my life.

[multigraincracker]

6. The real world is gray not

black and white, as I see it.
To avoid that crap use DuckDuckGo for your searches.
I’m an old dude originally from the south. Get mistaken by many folks, but not for long when they bring up dumb shit.

[RainCaster]

7. time to reset your ad preferences

You can do that in your Google settings. Start over again.

[ck4829]

8. Keyword stuffing and gaming the system drowns out those who are truly seeking community

It’s revolting

[Elessar Zappa]

9. I'm lucky I guess.

My dumbest “vice” is that I enjoy pro-wrestling and watch quite a few videos on YouTube regarding the subject. I would think that wrestling would appeal more to right wingers but I never see right wing ads or anything like that. I definitely don’t automatically associate veterans with right wingers, YouTube needs to correct their algorithms.

[Puppyjive]

10. Spent 9 years

In the Air Force. The majority of my fellow soldiers are Trumpers. Occasionally, someone chimes in and supports me, but for the most part, I am an outlier. I call them out. We were all aircrew together. They know what propaganda is. We learned about Hanoi Jane. Changed me forever. I got out and got educated. They have not progressed.

[tornado34jh]

12. That's how Youtube works nowadays

I could be watching a scientific documentary, and in the suggestions comes things FOX News, Alpha Central (probably a men's rights channel), or stupid things about Woke stuff. It has nothing to do with what I am watching. Unfortunately, certain topics make it prone to suggest channels that aren't what you are looking for.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. It's a damned positive feedback loop of fear and loathing, just to sell eyeballs.

Grooming by google.