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The wider world online
Youtube is a huge, sprawling mass, but it includes many useful French-language videos. The problem is how to find and use them. Two key things are:
• Use French search words/phrases.
‘French documentaries’ will include a number of English programs about France/the French.
However, if you put in ‘Les documentaires Francaises’, you will get many more true hits.
• Use French subtitles. As covered in Video Grading, the use of subtitles has been shown to support language development. Most of the French language in Youtube is authentic and will therefore be at C1, and some at C2. Using accurate French subtitles, the level of most of these will be brought down to the readability level of the text – mostly B2.
If there are subtitles available, there is a little symbol
underneath.
Click on this, and they will become activated – shown by a red line under the icon. Subtitles can be a direct transcription of what is said in the video - this is usually very accurate. However, these take some effort and time for someone to generate and are therefore in the minority. These subtitles are simply called ‘French’.
Other subtitles are auto-generated, which is based on Google speech recognition. They can be surprisingly good, so long as the speech is clear and at a reasonable speed. These subtitles are called ‘French (auto-generated)’.
You can change subtitles using the settings symbol 
.
Unfortunately, auto-generated subtitles show the words/phrases as they are spoken, and this disrupts the normal reading process (see 'Reading and Subtitles' below ). So, use the transcribed ‘French’ subtitles whenever they are available.
Youtube is good at covering many things, although the downside is that peoples' involvement tends to be somewhat superficial (see The Shallows). For language purposes however, the more the better (although looking at cute kittens will have no effect at all).
The key thing is to follow your interests; if you find something hard, boring, or if its going on for too long – just go on to something else. Once you’ve covered a few French things, Youtube will respond to your history and start to suggest more French stuff for you to click on.
Blogs
There are many which have good French subtitles, and are short and entertaining.
Deservedly the most popular French blogger. A natural style, with a lot of self-deprecating humour. Contemporary French, usually spoken quickly, but mainly has accurate subtitles.
Norman fait des Vidéos
Very popular, funny blog. Life, relationships, etc. Native French, accurate subtitles.
SolangeTeParle
Great blog series by a young French speaking woman. Contemporary French. Clear speech (not too fast), and accurate French subtitles.
The Purple Palace
This is someone who avoided formal lessons and taught themselves French (now C2 I reckon). I would totally agree with the advice she gives about learning French. She switches language often, but the subtitles are always a translation, and I would recommend sticking with them. I love the way she started telling people she was Russian - this was to avoid French people just using her to practice their English. Enter the world of Shayna !
69 videos made by an American living in France. It's relatively easy and the subtitles are accurate (albeit auto-generated). The topics are quite fun and easy to follow. You might follow this if you have a a good B1.
Information/Interest
Hugo
A number of videos, covering a range of interesting, contemporary themes. Clear speech, with good French subtitles. Part of an approach/course which is based on Krashen’s ideas (see Theory).
Loads of well-animated videos covering a range of questions. Aimed at French children, but with clear speech and brief enough to maintain your interest. Auto-generated subtitles, but accurate.
Loads of Science topics covered at a basic level. Clear speech that is not too fast, with good subtitles (some auto-generated).
Range of interesting documentary programs. The speech of the narrater is slow and clear; the voices of the public varies, but is usually ok. The subtitles are auto-generated and mostly accurate.
Range of topics. Slow and clear speech. Auto-generated subtitles pick up most words.
Wide range of topics. Slow, well-articluated speech. Picked up well by the autogenerated subs, with some dedicated subs.
79 videos of informal street interviews. Really accurate subtitles – in French and in English. Not actually that easy – the language is quite normal, and even with the subtitles, you have to keep up with the pace and understand the vocabulary.
News and Current Affairs. Subtitles mostly autogenerated.
Various programs from TV channel – Documentaries, News, Films, Arts. Only autogenerated subtitles, and not available for all. This means you have to hunt about a bit – the documentaries are the best.
Sensational content – mostly ‘the 10 worst ******’. Still quite entertaining though. Language not too complex or rushed. Accurate French subtitles.
An alternative view of wider politics. Basically that what we see are power plays, which also drive the media. His speech is easy to understand (perhaps because he's Belgian), and there are also auto-generated subtitles.
Somewhat radical channel, with deeper discussions of grand issues with key thinkers. A1, with no subtitles, but the speech is generally slow and well articulated.
Entertainment
Some funny videos of stroppy cats – better than it sounds! French with English subs. The cats use some interesting French insults, so A1/A2 without the subs.
Golden Moustache
Short sketches – really well done. Native French and punchy. Most have accurate French subtitles.
Parasites
More funny sketches. Humour and drama. Native French. Accurate French subtitles.
Three videos by the best French comedienne. Adult humour, based on her own life. The second two are more difficult, but sooo funny.
TED talks
This is a series of accessible lectures on 'ideas worth spreading' in Technology, Education, and Design (TED). Some are more specific to certain regions (TEDx). The quality and level of interest of the French language ones vary, along with the nature of the subtitles. I have however found some, which are reasonably interesting, with clear speech, and which have good French subtitles (you may need to change the language in Settings).
Einstein as an Educational Failure
Negotiation - don't search for a compromise
From Artificial Intelligence, to Augmented Intelligence
What do we do to learn a Language?
Darknet - the great Misunderstanding ?
Reading and subtitles
The problem with autogenerated subtitles is that words/phrases are put up at the same time as the speech, rather than as a single complete utterance. The normal process of reading involves fixating briefly on a few key points along each line of text. Language prediction, and right visual field peripheral vision are both used to select the most useful next point to fixate on. This is the word with the most information content – for instance
The MAN ran down the ROAD.
^ ^
The words 'the' have little information content, and the words 'ran down' are covered with the periperal vision from the first fixation. The next key word after 'man' is therefore 'road'.
For normal readers, this is a very efficient and highly developed skill. Reading is an active process to test hypotheses and build up meaning - the same as most of our perceptual system.
With auto-generated subtiltes, this is largely disrupted, as you have to look at each word or short phrase as it comes up. This takes much longer, and the increased load can interfere with the process of listening.
In this case, it is sometimes better to try to ignore the subtitles, unless there is a specific need. You will only be able to do this if you are able to understand the majority of what is being spoken.