Protocol for non-immediate content

This protocol describes a protocol for content consumption on YouTube. Crucially, it dictates to move any video one wants to watch (immediately, or later) to the playlist 'Watch later' before watching. This way, the moments of deciding to watch a video and the consumption of the video are separated. This protocol can be generalized to other types of content consumption.

While the protocol's contents are strict, one may decide for themselves the frequency of application and set personal exceptions. Ultimately, this protocol aims for a better experience consuming content, by introducing explicit space for a feeling of agency. However, if one feels like their content consumption would be better with rare useage, modifications, or without the protocol entirely, please feel encouraged to act upon that agency.

The Protocol

1. Open YouTube.
2. Consider: do I want to watch a video right now? If yes: go to (3). Otherwise: go to (6)
3. Perform Transitioning subprotocol:
1. Open the playlist 'Watch later'.
2. Perform a pruning pass:
1. For each video in the playlist, consider the following:
• Do I remember why I added this video?
• Would I still add this video?
2. If the answer to any of these questions is 'no', remove the video from the playlist.
3. Optional: consider the total number of videos in the playlist. If this number exceeds a predetermined maximum, go to (3.2)
3. Perform a watch-now pass:
   1. For each video in the playlist, from the oldest to the newest (by addition date), consider the following:
   • Do I want to watch this right now? If yes: go to (5). Otherwise: move the next video.
   2. Otherwise video passed the watch-now pass, consider:
   • Do I want to watch a video right now? If yes: go to (4). Otherwise: go to (6).
4. Perform the Deciding subprotocol:
1. Decide on a place to browse: the YouTube homepage, another playlist, search results or a specific channel.
2. Consider the videos you are presented until one of the following occurs:
• You find a video you are interested in watching, in which case: press 'add to playlist' and choose playlist 'Watch later'.
• You don't feel like browsing anymore.
3. Consider: do I want to browse some more? If yes: go to (4.1).
4. Consider: do I want to watch a video right now? If yes: go to (3). Otherwise: go to (6).
5. Perform the Consuming subprotocol:
1. Open the video you want to watch.
2. Watch the video until one of the following occurs, then go to (5.3):
• You notice the video does not resonate with the reason you decided to watch the video; or
• You notice the video lost your attention; or
• The video finishes.
3. Do I want to watch another video? If yes: go to (3). Otherwise: go to (6).
6. Quit YouTube.

Generalization

There are two steps* in consuming content:

1. Deciding to consume the content.
2. Actually consuming the content.

(*although often the user has no autonomy over what content is presented to them -- this is particularly true for short form video content -- for which these steps (and this protocol) do not apply.)

At its core, the Protocol for non-immediate content is a method of separating the moments of decision and consumption. This can have several benefits:

• introducing space to re-evaluate the moment of decision. Upon re-evaluation, you might realize you do not want to consume this particular piece of content.
• You can focus completely on either deciding or consuming, and as the transition between the two modes of operation has been made explicit,

Also, accumulating decided-upon content in a 'playlist' can have a benefits:

• The suggested time pressure in consuming the content -- 'How will I ever find this content again?', FOMO -- is removed: you can allow yourself to consume the content at the time you want to consume it. The moment of decision might now be wholly different from the moment of consumption.

This core idea of seperation, and its associated benefits, may be generalized to a wide range of content. YouTube is a well suited example, but consider another: you are in the exploration phase of a research project. You go to a digital source of written articles. You compile a playlist with links to to-read articles (moment of decision). At a later point in time, you choose an article from this list to read (moment of consumption). You now no longer have to worry about missing out on articles specific to you current search results, you don't have to worry about hectic zigzagging between reading and searching in response, et cetera.

Extension

It can happen that consuming one piece of content might spark you to go out and find another (e.g. an article mentioning another article, or a new term, etc.). In this case, a playlist of sparks may be compiled, again separating moments of decision and consumption. In this case, its main goal is to allow your concentration to stay with the current task.

In many ways, this is exactly what notetaking can be: a thought expressed as to no longer have to retain it in your head, or to act upon it immediately.