Yeah, giving Google unfettered access to your attention span with their algorithm (or any giant corporation) is just a disaster waiting to happen. None of them are interested in your well being or helping you in any way, only to keep you engaging, and to try pushing narratives to the masses. These very same algorithms also determine how creators act and what they post, since disobeying the nebulous ‘algorithm’ results in having your video cratered.
As for PeerTube, I will tell you right out of the gate it won’t be a major supplement to offset something like YouTube watch time. You will find some fun though, it’s quite cool watching super indie stuff you end up enjoying, think like 2005 tier YT where people just kinda post stuff for fun. If you are a creative (e.g. artist, musician, maker, tech reviewer) and have the rights to your videos, MakerTube is the instance I’m on, and they would be happy to have you (my channel). If you aren’t a maker, you can browse the instance list and try to pick a server you’re comfortable with (all of them have an info page which shows their rules and what you can do). I know that’s tedious and overwhelming though, so I spent a little bit mulling for something I’d consider acceptable as a starting point and found Peertube.wtf. They seem to be open signups, allow video uploads with a high limit, non-US, a proper no bigotry policy, looks good at a glance anyway!
As a long time supporter of SaveAFox, it’s hard to really even process this. I am sure being an online personality to try and fundraise isn’t easy, but never did I dream that there was such a degree of hate lobbed at Mikayla that she’d decide to end her own life. Someone so kind and devoted to the lives of creatures who are constantly exploited and cannot save themselves. It’s just despicable, and all I can really hope for is that Mikayla’s mission continues on in spite of such significant loss.