I don't have Instagram or Tik Tok, and when I use YouTube, I do it through through a vpn on a private tab on my browser with history tirned off and cookies blocked.

We're not the same.

Of the three of those, I only use YT... But I find that YT on a Smart TV is vastly better at suggesting videos than YouTube on my phone, or at a desktop... IDK what it is, but perhaps Smart TV platforms get less "enshittification" pressure?

People still use those platforms? Who knew..?

not surprising, that shows their algorithm is not only based on what you'd like to see but on what they want you to see.

i've mostly used instagram but stopped scrolling in the last years, not sure if the few occasions when i try other video platforms ends up as random garbage because it doesn't know me (despite knowing the videos i create and post) or if the algorithm's goals are different

I have the same experience, all three show me totally different stuff. They all slowly update but TikTok is like the only one who mostly shows more diy or less produced content.