YouTube Watch Hitstory : Why is my YouTube History watch list filled with videos I haven't watched?

 

Why is my YouTube watch list filled with videos I haven't watched?

Symptoms:

My YouTube History watch list continues to be filled with unwatched videos. Why are there videos showing up in my history that I have not watched? Did my account get hacked?

·                        More Detail HERE

Example of hacked Google Youtube Account Video History:

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How to find the issue:

1. Go to this URL

                               YouTube Video History

                2. Look for videos that you did not watch / foreign for example, YoutUbe videos from India or China that are not English.

                3. If you find a video that you did not watch, document the estimated date that the video was watched.

                4. IF you find foreign videos in your history,

 

Troubleshooting: Basic

                5. IF your account was compromised / you find foreign videos in your history:

                                a. Go to https://myaccount.google.com/security?nlr=1

                                b. change your password and turn on 2FA

                                c. You can also Check your security here:

·         https://myaccount.google.com/security-checkup/3

·         https://myaccount.google.com/security?nlr=1

·         https://myaccount.google.com/device-activity

·         https://myaccount.google.com/notifications?pli%3D1=

·         https://myaccount.google.com/connections?filters=3,4&hl=en

·         Troubleshooting: Intermediate:

o   Remove all Extension on every browser client that supports extension, normally every windows machine.

o   Disable all mobile apps that have access to youtube account such as YouTueb Vanced or SmartTube.

o   Disable all YouTube alternative apps on Android TV

o   If above does not work, disable and logout of every deice for target Google Account: AndroidTV, Mobile and PC.

o    Use strong passwords, Undo Sync, Remove unwanted extensions and toolbars, Disable autoplay mode

·         Troubleshooting: Advanced:

o   Create custom Google Script or Azure app to send alert when YouTube Watch history is updated with video anomaly, for example: Send email when a video shows in History that includes an Indian or Chinese language title.

o   See below refs for YoutUbe API examples:

§  https://groups.google.com/g/google-apps-script-community/c/NLiA-Cu9V3I

§  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY8dhl1EQfI

§  https://www.youtube.com/feed/history

§  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/30849284/how-to-get-watched-history-of-youtube-user-using-youtube-javascript-api

§  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/73241866/how-to-get-watched-history-of-a-music-video-on-youtube-using-youtube-api

§  https://atonce.com/blog/how-to-get-youtube-api-key

§  https://saturncloud.io/blog/how-to-get-a-youtube-video-thumbnail-from-the-youtube-api/

§  https://github.com/matt8707/youtube-watching

§  https://www.reddit.com/r/YoutubeMusic/comments/w8naqu/youtube_ytmusic_history_api/

§  https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/live/guides/auth/installed-apps

§  https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/docs

§  https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/sample_requests

§  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/23600372/how-to-get-all-your-watch-history-from-youtube?rq=4