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I absolutely pay for YouTube in a package deal with Google Play Music.

$15/mo for the family plan.

YouTube Red or as I like to call it sometimes, because frankly I can't remember, RedTube. <-NSFW

In case anyone is unclear on this, RedTube is a different site that hosts hardcore porn.

... a fact which can lead to hilarious misunderstandings

Exactly, advertisers are the customer, you are the product

A Tom Sawyer business plan where the users do all the work and pay for the privilege by having their data sold to the highest bidder.

Free as in money does not mean the same as free as in speech.

I wonder if the OP were one of the youtube paying customer (for the ad free version) if OP would have gotten a better response.