Failing with "ValueError: insecure string pickle"

[kamalsomani]

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• You will be asked some questions and requested to provide some information, please read them carefully and answer honestly
• Put an x into all the boxes [ ] relevant to your issue (like that [x])
• Use Preview tab to see how your issue will actually look like

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Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2016.08.24.1. If it's not read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• [ _] I've _verified* and I assure that I'm running youtube-dl 2016.08.24.1

Before submitting an issue make sure you have:

• [* ] At least skimmed through README and most notably FAQ and BUGS sections
• [* ] Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones

What is the purpose of your issue?

• [ *] Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
• Other

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The following sections concretize particular purposed issues, you can erase any section (the contents between triple ---) not applicable to your issue

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If the purpose of this issue is a bug report, site support request or you are not completely sure provide the full verbose output as follows:

Add -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with, copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

$ youtube-dl -v https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLillGF-RfqbbZnAJlEzttBrbkAO27U_hd
[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-v', u'https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLillGF-RfqbbZnAJlEzttBrbkAO27U_hd']
[debug] Encodings: locale UTF-8, fs utf-8, out UTF-8, pref UTF-8
[debug] youtube-dl version 2016.08.24.1
[debug] Python version 2.7.10 - Darwin-15.6.0-x86_64-i386-64bit
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/runpy.py", line 162, in _run_module_as_main
    "__main__", fname, loader, pkg_name)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/runpy.py", line 72, in _run_code
    exec code in run_globals
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/__main__.py", line 19, in <module>
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/__init__.py", line 433, in main
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/__init__.py", line 400, in _real_main
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 367, in __init__
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py", line 2037, in print_debug_header
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py", line 64, in get_versions
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py", line 48, in __init__
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py", line 105, in _determine_executables
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py", line 105, in <genexpr>
  File "../youtube-dl/youtube-dl_20160821/youtube_dl/utils.py", line 1789, in get_exe_version
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 710, in __init__
    errread, errwrite)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/subprocess.py", line 1334, in _execute_child
    child_exception = pickle.loads(data)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.py", line 1382, in loads
    return Unpickler(file).load()
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.py", line 858, in load
    dispatch[key](self)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/pickle.py", line 966, in load_string
    raise ValueError, "insecure string pickle"
ValueError: insecure string pickle

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If the purpose of this issue is a site support request please provide all kinds of example URLs support for which should be included (replace following example URLs by yours):

• Single video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKc
• Single video: https://youtu.be/BaW_jenozKc
• Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4lCao7KL_QFVb7Iudeipvc2BCavECqzc

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

Explanation of your issue in arbitrary form goes here. Please make sure the description is worded well enough to be understood. Provide as much context and examples as possible.
If work on your issue required an account credentials please provide them or explain how one can obtain them.

[dstftw]

Update python to 2.7.12.

[kamalsomani]

@dstftw
I am not sure, what changed everything was working fine till yesterday evening..
I also tried v2016.08.22 , but that too failing today.

any guess, why the older version also not working ?