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Subscribe to Premium and pay ever-increasing prices [1][2][3] so that Google can track you better with you always being logged into an account with payment info

Subscribe to Premium and pay ever-increasing prices [1][2][3] so that Google can track you better with you always being logged into an account with payment information attached. While still being exposed to ads for VPNs, cryptocurrency, scams [4], and more. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41626035 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41626035 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36807803 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36807803 [3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33279998 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33279998 [4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43298054 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43298054

hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago
Also sign yourself up for googles database of ‘people who will actually pay money if we annoy them enough’ meaning you’ll be a target demographic for future premium services
- npteljes 1y ago
  What exactly is the risk in that?
  - soraminazuki 1y ago
    You need an explanation for why people don't want to be extorted?
    - npteljes 1y ago
      Yes, please. I need explanation why "you’ll be a target demographic for future premium services" is a threat to any Premium subscriber in any way.
      - hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago
        Because google sell more than just YouTube premium.
        npteljes 1y ago
        But what is the risk? What is the potential downfall, that I am helping with the Premium subscription?
        hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago
        - they start using per-person pricing or continually increase the cost now that they know a nag > purchase workflow works - that they start applying per-person based costs to other searches (just because gmail is free for me, maybe your account has ‘reached a maximum usage’ and now you must pay, or they just drop storage limits of free to 500kb) - that they plug that data into their analytics platform and sell the information that you personally will purchase services if nagged enough Should I continue? To add, I think the biggest difference here is google is actively engineering detection mechanisms for ublock, and then nagging users who use ublock, most of the people who use ublock probably wouldn’t pay for premium. I’d sooner pay for floatplane than do that. Edit: and all that in conjunction with abusing their browser monopoly control to reduce the effectiveness of ublock and similar plugins.
        npteljes 1y ago
        I get your concerns, but I see it in a different way. I think we are at risk either way. I think when people are actually vulnerable is when they are using an account-based service, for free. In your example, Gmail. If Google is being a bitch about my Premium service, I will just not pay it, and move on with my life. What does someone do when Google is being a bitch to them with Gmail? Do they change their email at all 100 places they have given their email to, just to resist a small monthly subscription for example, or ads or whatever? So if talking about risk, I'd rather look there. Wrt ublock, similar deal. They would do that anyways. It's just unimaginable that such a power position as Google's wouldn't get abused. Bottom line, I don't see how it's a bad thing paying them when they actually offer a paid service. I rather wish that these venture capital magic money free services would go away instead. Services should have a cost, and users should pay those costs as directly as possible. The weird things happen from all the indirections providers employ.
npteljes 1y ago
Yes, subscribe to Premium, and pay the reasonable price for the use of a service. Tracking? There is hardly any service that doesn't track its own usage. And whatever VPNs, crypto and scams the content creators peddle is up to the viewer. I barely get VPNs, and no crypto and no scams.
- soraminazuki 1y ago
  This should be pretty obvious, but Google isn't merely tracking its own usage. Its sole purpose is to digitally surveil you 24/7 and use the obtained information to manipulate you. By subscribing to Premium, you make that job easier for them than when you browse the web without signing in to YouTube, and by extension, Google. > And whatever VPNs, crypto and scams the content creators peddle is up to the viewer. I barely get VPNs, and no crypto and no scams. Come on, let's not resort to baseless shaming and blame shifting. The whole point of Premium is supposed to be about getting rid of ads. It demonstrably doesn't do that, making Premium a charity for the richest company in the world. It's 100% on Google for failing to provide any value with Premium.
  - npteljes 1y ago
    I think several things are mixed up here. >By subscribing to Premium, you make that job easier for them than when you browse the web without signing in to YouTube, and by extension, Google. That has nothing to do with paying for YouTube Premium, but rather, with having signed in with the browser into the Google account, and using that to browse the internet as well. There are many cases where this doesn't happen. For example, if the user logs in on their phone, or smart tv, or uses separate browsers or Firefox Containers or such on PC. Also, google tracks without logging in at all, via Analytics, and by other means as well. Premium is the least of the concern here. >Come on, let's not resort to baseless shaming and blame shifting. Nah, you come on. Those ads were embedded in the video stream by the content creator, were they not? The onus is entirely on the uploader. YT Premium is not charity, but a rather cheap subscription to a great service. It makes the Google ads go away, and with that, lifts a mental burden, because advertising is often plain evil.

hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago

Also sign yourself up for googles database of ‘people who will actually pay money if we annoy them enough’ meaning you’ll be a target demographic for future premium services

npteljes 1y ago
What exactly is the risk in that?
- soraminazuki 1y ago
  You need an explanation for why people don't want to be extorted?
  - npteljes 1y ago
    Yes, please. I need explanation why "you’ll be a target demographic for future premium services" is a threat to any Premium subscriber in any way.
    - hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago
      Because google sell more than just YouTube premium.
      - npteljes 1y ago
        But what is the risk? What is the potential downfall, that I am helping with the Premium subscription?
        hsbauauvhabzb 1y ago
        - they start using per-person pricing or continually increase the cost now that they know a nag > purchase workflow works - that they start applying per-person based costs to other searches (just because gmail is free for me, maybe your account has ‘reached a maximum usage’ and now you must pay, or they just drop storage limits of free to 500kb) - that they plug that data into their analytics platform and sell the information that you personally will purchase services if nagged enough Should I continue? To add, I think the biggest difference here is google is actively engineering detection mechanisms for ublock, and then nagging users who use ublock, most of the people who use ublock probably wouldn’t pay for premium. I’d sooner pay for floatplane than do that. Edit: and all that in conjunction with abusing their browser monopoly control to reduce the effectiveness of ublock and similar plugins.
        npteljes 1y ago
        I get your concerns, but I see it in a different way. I think we are at risk either way. I think when people are actually vulnerable is when they are using an account-based service, for free. In your example, Gmail. If Google is being a bitch about my Premium service, I will just not pay it, and move on with my life. What does someone do when Google is being a bitch to them with Gmail? Do they change their email at all 100 places they have given their email to, just to resist a small monthly subscription for example, or ads or whatever? So if talking about risk, I'd rather look there. Wrt ublock, similar deal. They would do that anyways. It's just unimaginable that such a power position as Google's wouldn't get abused. Bottom line, I don't see how it's a bad thing paying them when they actually offer a paid service. I rather wish that these venture capital magic money free services would go away instead. Services should have a cost, and users should pay those costs as directly as possible. The weird things happen from all the indirections providers employ.

npteljes 1y ago

Yes, subscribe to Premium, and pay the reasonable price for the use of a service. Tracking? There is hardly any service that doesn't track its own usage. And whatever VPNs, crypto and scams the content creators peddle is up to the viewer. I barely get VPNs, and no crypto and no scams.

soraminazuki 1y ago
This should be pretty obvious, but Google isn't merely tracking its own usage. Its sole purpose is to digitally surveil you 24/7 and use the obtained information to manipulate you. By subscribing to Premium, you make that job easier for them than when you browse the web without signing in to YouTube, and by extension, Google. > And whatever VPNs, crypto and scams the content creators peddle is up to the viewer. I barely get VPNs, and no crypto and no scams. Come on, let's not resort to baseless shaming and blame shifting. The whole point of Premium is supposed to be about getting rid of ads. It demonstrably doesn't do that, making Premium a charity for the richest company in the world. It's 100% on Google for failing to provide any value with Premium.
- npteljes 1y ago
  I think several things are mixed up here. >By subscribing to Premium, you make that job easier for them than when you browse the web without signing in to YouTube, and by extension, Google. That has nothing to do with paying for YouTube Premium, but rather, with having signed in with the browser into the Google account, and using that to browse the internet as well. There are many cases where this doesn't happen. For example, if the user logs in on their phone, or smart tv, or uses separate browsers or Firefox Containers or such on PC. Also, google tracks without logging in at all, via Analytics, and by other means as well. Premium is the least of the concern here. >Come on, let's not resort to baseless shaming and blame shifting. Nah, you come on. Those ads were embedded in the video stream by the content creator, were they not? The onus is entirely on the uploader. YT Premium is not charity, but a rather cheap subscription to a great service. It makes the Google ads go away, and with that, lifts a mental burden, because advertising is often plain evil.