This is not a solution to the problem, just a rather weak attempt at "sticking it to the man". Apart from not using youtube at all - which is not always possibl

This is not a solution to the problem, just a rather weak attempt at "sticking it to the man". Apart from not using youtube at all - which is not always possible - I'd suggest bypassing the web interface by using youtube-dl or streamlink. Add an extension like "Open With" and point it to a script which opens videos in the format you want (e.g. low resolution for slower links/devices, audio-only for lectures, etc) and right-click youtube (etc - this works for all sites supported by youtube-dl/streamlink, including twitter and facebook) links to watch/listen. An added advantage is that you're not confronted with the comment section, thus saving time and annoyance. On Android this whole process can be automated by using NewPipe - get it on FDroid.