Just out of curiosity, what is it EXACTLY about ads on YouTube that you dislike? Is it that they exist at all? That there are too many of them? That they’re unskippable? What would you, specifically, find to be a tolerable amount of ads? If you were Chief Ad Engineer at YouTube, how would you structure the ads system?
I have my thoughts on the matter, but I want to know what YOU think.
There is no tolerable amount of ads, because not only are they an awful experience, they explicitly drive user hostile growth and decisions in the future (ie enshitification).
I used to pay for YouTube to avoid ads, before I got sick of Google and refused to give them any more money. Now I use a pihole and a browser based adblocker, as well as 3rd party front ends, because fuck Google. I don’t give a shit if I’m denying them income.
to me I still use the paid version because, for me it’s not that expensive on the family plan, and I do want the content creators to get paid. I do hate the monopoly etc… but as far as I can tell it’s one that can’t really be broken. Far as I can see no other site can actually arrange a system in which creators get paid any substantial amount.
also do have to note the inevitable put up or shut up part of nature. There’s basically only 2 options of systems when it comes to the internet, either we deal with ads or we pay for services. Until a magical extra option appears I’m OK with paying to avoid ads.
If it we weren’t Google, I’d be ok with paying too. As it is, the content creators will have to get by with their individual sponsorships, rather than getting ad revenue from me.