The vast majority of people doing creative work that you enjoy largely for free are making barely enough to survive off of it, or doing it as a "labor of love".
For years people said "oh if only there was some way to pay the content creators directly!" now with Patreon there is.
Most software engineers have no problem dropping $20 on a four pack of nice beer, but can't be bothered to pay $5 to watch more of a video they already spend 20 min watching for free? With the added bonus that you are supporting the creation of more content you like?
It's not a big deal if you don't want to buy the product, but to complain that it's something you have to buy is absurd.
It just is what it is honestly. You're never going to change this mindset. I'm sure there are many ways you could list that it is detrimental to society, people, etc. And I'd be inclined to agree! But I just don't care, and many others don't either.
In the meantime, they have a ton of other similar content that you could watch until then.
- multiple ads on the video itself
- multiple links to their merchandise in the description
- link promoting a paid YouTube membership in the description (which links to a sponsored video with a referral link to an unrelated financial product)
- 26 referral links in the description
- referral link to a completely unrelated mobile game in the description
- referral link to a completely unrelated mobile game as a pinned comment
- promotion of Patreon in the video itself
It's a bit disingenuous to suggest that without early content access they have no way of monetising their content.
- already have RSUs
- annual bonus
- health care benefits
- paid vision
- paid time off
- snacks in office
It's a bit disingenuous to suggest that without a base salary software engineers have no way of monetising their skills.
You seem like you expect people to work for you for free to create content to entertain you?
Grandparent complained the good content is paywalled. Parent suggested that's because they can't monetise any other way. I provided examples of how they are monetising already.
Google bought YouTube in 2006 which was ~1 year after it spawned.
The _idea_ of being social on the internet then -- apart from forums et al -- was very new. I was using YouTube as an 11 year old and all that was really being posted were cat videos, blogs, Fred, and these kind of low-budget home videos. People were still figuring things out. It was an exciting time because it was a new thing; but _precisely_ because it was a new thing that's what was exciting.
The content on YouTube now is orders of magnitude more diverse than then and still includes the stuff of yonder. Let's leave hyperbole out of it.
The internet pre-today was just garbage. The issues with being tracked and Facebook...blah blah blah are all minor in comparison to it's convenience it's brought. Remember when you ACTUALLY had to make a forum post and engage with others online to maybe get the answer you were looking for? What about online shopping? Did you really like relying on some sketchy website that someone whipped up and didn't bother to secure your info with they're half-baked payment processing page?
The thing these people often forget is, that garbage content they think is so great is still there. They just don't actively look for it anymore. They just see the top promoted channels and go "oh wheres the good stuff!" but don't bother to search for it. They never sort by new I bet on any website.
is youtube still a decent product? Sure
I don't have sympathy here because these people are playing on Googles platform. Google is trying to navigate these waters with as much automation as it can. Unfortunately it can't do a good job of it just because there is an absurd amount of content given to them every second.
If you're livelihood is based around someone who does the corralling, you can't get upset they weren't perfect. You should've been aware of this from the get go seeing as you are not the one in control.