Most video sites, including ThisVid, do not host simple .mp4 files that you can right-click and save. Instead, they use a streaming protocol called HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) . When you watch a private video, your browser receives a .m3u8 playlist file. This file contains chunks of the video (.ts files) and a temporary access token.
The old method for downloading private videos: thisvid download private video patched
Why it worked: The server was trusting your browser’s session ID to access the chunks. If you copied that session ID to another tool, the server said, "Oh, you're the same user. Here are the private chunks." Most video sites, including ThisVid, do not host simple
The patch does not affect the original file. If you uploaded the private video: Why it worked: The server was trusting your
If you are not the uploader, you cannot do this.
Users are angry. They feel that if they can view a private video (because a friend shared it or they uploaded it themselves), they should be able to download it. However, ThisVid’s actions are logical from a business and legal perspective.