Feel like we're watching a lot of tech companies making a lot of bad decisions all at once. Reddit, Google, Netflix, Meta, Twitter, Hulu, etc. Regardless of the individual circumstances and bad actors in each case, it feels like they're all being fueled by a shared, low-key desperation.
I know it sounds a little silly to blame this on one person, but honestly think it’s Elon’s fault.
A bunch of tech-bro CEO types idolize him and are jealous - thinking he is cool for getting to “say whatever he wants” to the public, his detractors - Hell… even the SEC… and he “gets away with it.”
Not only that, but he has gotten to present to cheering crowds on stage for companies people still mistakenly think Elon both founded and runs single-handedly like Tesla and SpaceX… and he has been positively referenced and guest appeared over the past decade in Marvel films and other “cool” pop culture like South Park and Rick & Morty.
…And so when Elon just said “fuck you” publicly to a bunch of his workers by firing a bunch of them… The Elon wannabes loved it.
Worse - they are influenced by his actions. Some have even openly said it.
So not only do people like spez go and fuck over their devs, their users, and advertisers… but the folks at the heads of lots of companies are doing the same. For example - and I don’t know if it was mentioned here but - Plex recently fired like 20% of their workforce.
Easy money pipeline has been cut off, makes sense we're all seeing this kind of thing at the same time when you consider it from the POV of the investors bankrolling these companies.
Costs are going up, investment is wising up.
The venture capital free money train is gone and they're realizing their revenue models make zero sense.
If you’re just a bit tech savvy and don’t use your tv as your primary YouTube player then it’s reasonably easy to avoid ads and download stuff on YouTube no matter if you’re on Android, PC, or even iOS (yes without jailbreak).
Revanced Manager for phones. SmartTubeNext for TVs.
I pay for it since I use it pretty often on my tv. I’ve gotten rid of other subscriptions to cover the cost. I use YouTube fairly often. My kid watches it on tv and I didn’t want him inundated with ads.
I feel like they forced me to pay though. I’d put on a show for my kid and 3 minutes in, there would be a 2 hour ad that played something completely different and pushed bullshit ads in front of him. I couldn’t subject him to that and there really isn’t an alternative.
Count me in on the group. Have been a family subscriber for awhile. Daughter is 7 and autistic so when an ad pops up she always installs the games then they are horrible and piss her off or she wants me to spend money on it because they force it down your throat. Easier to just give Google some money and not have to deal with it.
For anyone reading who’s curious about iOS options, using Yattee with your Invidious or Piped instance of choice is a good way to go!
Even with a TV there are options. I know Android/Google TV and LG WebOS both have apps available to sideload.
LG webOS? Please do tell what to do? I hate watching YT on my LG tv, its like two ads between each and every video...
NewPipe for the win! Probably one of the best apps I have ever downloaded.
NewPipe costs $13.99 less on my phone (where I watch YouTube most), and it has a better UX (for me) than the official app.
I know I am gonna be one of the few, but I use YouTube as my main viewing of things. I don’t use Netflix, or any of the other services much. Premium is something I can’t be without anymore tbh, the ad free and downloading is super convenient for me and I like how a lot of my premium subscription goes to the creators I watch the most.
That’s where I’m at. I use it regularly for learning new things and for entertainment, so I don’t mind paying for it, and getting rid of ads while supporting creators is perfectly fine with me.
Same, YouTube is the first app I go to when turning on my tv
I pirate EVERYTHING I watch... except for YouTube. I gladly pay that.
I don't have a problem with them charging for the service. But they keep raising it dramatically over and over. You're paying $15 a month to watch content a YouTube creator is getting 25 cents to create. If they wanted to charge $9.99 a month for a family plan I'd be all about it. At the prices they're charging there are services running full blown movie houses
I must be grandfathered in. I have YouTube Music for $9.99 a month that also includes YouTube Premium
What fucking idiot pays for YouTube premium? Like, I'm sorry... But what the fuck?
Same reasons here. Also, if you regularly watch Youtube on smart TVs/streaming boxes, etc. it's just the most hassle free way to not get ads there.
I kinda wanted to for awhile because I'd much prefer to have a service like that be paid instead of driven by ads, but it's getting harder to do that with how they're operating.
I don't pay specifically for YouTube with no ads, that's just a nice bonus, the primary reason is YouTube Music which is amazing.
I pay Google for Google domains (shutting down, being transferred to somewhere) and YT premium and they didn't tell me either of these things.
All Google domains are transferring to SquareSpace, and you get 1 renewal at the old rate before SquareSpace can charge you whatever they want.
I saw the switchblade comb, even without animation.
Lol 14 dollars for YouTube without ads when you can just run Newpipe. :)
VPN and Argentina. Less than $2.50 US per month. Did this over a year ago and no issues.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nordvpn/comments/nu4st9/youtube_premium_subscription_for_way_cheaper/
Thus reinforcing the easy decision of never getting YouTube premium.
Wow, and I just cancelled mine yesterday, crazy timing.
How can billion dollar companies justify this bullshit, when their main source of income is advertisers anyways?
With the way YouTube treats creators with their demonetization policies, there's no way I am going to pay for that.
i guess they've done the least [that i'm noticeably aware of] to destroy the site recently
And yet they will probably say that subscribers are up, without mentioning that most of them are from countries like India where it costs $22.50 CAD per year.
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
