In a private window, there is no account to check for "History is turned off". I don't think the root comment is accurate: at least in the US, I see an empty page when I visit YT in a private window.

That's what I see when I open YouTube for the first when I'm not logged in, too. I much, much, prefer this over their recommendation system. Although the first few sets of recommendations after your first few videos are actually useful.