What this app is
Plain Receipts Uploader is a private tool that the owner of the Plain Receipts YouTube channel uses to upload and manage videos on that channel. On Google's sign-in screen it appears as “YT Automation”.
It is not a public service. There is nothing to sign up for, and it is not offered to other people or other channels. The only Google account that signs in to it is the account that owns the Plain Receipts channel.
What it does
- Uploads a finished video file to the Plain Receipts channel. New uploads are private by default.
- Sets the video's title, description, tags, category, language, “made for kids” setting and AI-content disclosure.
- Adds a custom thumbnail and, when one is prepared, a caption track or a playlist entry.
- Checks the channel's recent uploads before uploading, so the same video is not uploaded twice.
- After an upload, reads the video back from YouTube to confirm it processed correctly and that its settings match what was intended.
- Changes a video from private to public only after the channel's own pre-publication checklist has passed.
What it does not do
- It does not delete videos, playlists or anything else on the channel.
- It does not read or post comments, or read subscriber lists or channel analytics.
- It does not access any other person's YouTube channel or Google account.
- It does not show ads, sell data or share YouTube data with advertisers.
YouTube permissions it asks for
When the channel owner signs in, Google asks them to approve two YouTube permissions. The names below are Google's wording on the sign-in screen.
| Permission (scope) | Why the app needs it |
|---|---|
Manage your YouTube videosyoutube.upload |
To upload video files and set their custom thumbnails. |
Manage your YouTube accountyoutube |
To change settings on a video that is already uploaded (such as making it public), to read a video's processing status and settings for the post-upload checks, to list recent uploads for the duplicate check, and to add captions or playlist entries. The upload permission alone does not cover these. |
The second permission is broad: it would allow managing the whole YouTube account. The app only uses it for the actions listed under “What it does”. Full details, including how the sign-in token is stored, are in the privacy policy.
How it works
- The channel owner runs the tool on their own computer.
- The first time, Google's own sign-in page opens in the browser, and the owner approves the permissions above.
- Google returns a sign-in token, which is saved on that computer so later uploads do not need a new sign-in.
- The tool talks directly to Google's YouTube Data API over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection. There is no separate server in between.
Terms of use
This app uses YouTube API Services. Anyone using it agrees to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service. Google's handling of data is described in the Google Privacy Policy.
Contact
Questions about this app or its handling of data: plainreceipts.contact@gmail.com