this post was submitted on 25 Sep 2024
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Unpopular Opinion

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I get that it started for free with less intrusive ads, but YouTube has had a huge impact on the way we all share and consume information. Understanding how much money it takes to run a service with the technology needed to provide high definition videos on a site that is up 99.9999999% of the time, I have no issue paying for a service that has changed my life in many positive ways. Now I do hate price gouging like everyone else, but it's inescapable from gas & groceries to all streaming platforms.

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[–] [email protected] 97 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (3 children)

You like it now, just wait though. In another year "YouTube Premium" will probably split further into basic and premium plus tiers. Basic will cost exactly the same except you now have to watch "limited" ads again, while Premium Plus will cost twice as much and be basically the same thing you're paying for now plus some new bullshit feature no one cares about.

This is what YouTube has become. It's what all the corporate services that like to make you think they care about you do. As long as we all keep shelling out more money for less services they will all just keep pumping us for every dollar they can possibly get.

It's an unethical strategy called a "loss leader" where these companies offer a service they actually lose money on for a limited time until they get you to the point that you take it for granted. Then they make that same price point terrible and jack up the price for the good service you've come to expect.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Same with all of them. Remember when Netflix was $8 and you got all of the features? People said back then that they didn't mind paying for it either.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Same for Disney, it was $7 a month in 2019, it is now $16. That is an increase of over 40% in 5 years.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Technically that's a 228% increase increase from what you were paying 5 years ago. Now, inflation is a thing... but I don't think it's up 228%.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

No. That's an increase of 129% to 229% of the original price.

You are right that you always use the original price as the base, but if it were still $7 that would be a 0% increase, not 100% as by your math.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Ah yeah you're right

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I miss that :( my partner and I always talk about how that was such a nice time. I gave them my $8 every month and had access to all the shows I wanted to watch and it was great. I completely gave up on piracy, and I was more likely to rent/buy the occasional movie that wasn't on Netflix.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Same, streaming was the cure to piracy, but they got greedy and now piracy is the cure to streaming overload.

Funny how we want one monopoly for streaming but any other kind of monopoly is bad.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago

Ikr? Nowadays, I'm quite fond of the idea of forcing media companies to license to all comers if they license to one company. Movie theaters don't have exclusive rights to movies, so why do we let streaming services pull this shit? Having the same content across all platforms would mean that streaming services would have to compete on price and service quality.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

Gabe Newell, the founder of Valve (Steam) had this to say

"Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem"

So many people are willing to pay if it’s a good experience. But if the experience sucks, people with money will find a better service, which in many cases ends up being free. If I wanted to have ads dumped everywhere while I watch videos, there are services that offer that “experience” for free.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Well as a counterpoint, that’s when you bounce. I had HBO MAX for years but their latest price hike was unjustifiable for me. I suppose I should prob shitcan Netflix too. And of course Amazon Prime went the exact direction you’re talking about.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

That's always an option sure, but since EVERY company does this now it means we all just stop watching TV basically. Maybe that would be the best thing after all though lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Similarly to the “just move” when people talk about home prices, this argument holds up as long as there are alternatives.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

I think now is the reference window op is describing