I hadn't noticed that before but you're right, YT has ruined Rickrolling.
Personally, my conspiracy theory is that somehow the YouTube team twisted Google Chrome team's arms to force them to make a byzantine system so that YouTube videos would pretty much always auto play. I cannot imagine how any self-respecting programmer(TM) would agree to such nonsense unless they were being paid very handsomely.
You're not far off. https://developer.chrome.com/blog/autoplay#media_engagement_...
After a while youtube gave up and no longer tries to force me to uninstall the ad blocking mechanisms.
That or the ad blocking mechanisms got better.
Wondered if i was part of some a/b and they rolled back? no idea. Either way i'll happily drop YT if they try that shit without giving me a sane "no ad" tier lol.