[sangnoir]

Because the code still has to be actively maintained perpetually - internal APIs change over time, security risks have to be mitigated, some one (or some teams) have to have responsibility over this feature - and Google has decided it's not moving the needle enough to be worth it.

[paulryanrogers]

ADA doesn't care about their ROI on features

[sangnoir]

You are right, but ADA doesn't apply in this specific case.

[paulryanrogers]

While technically true in this age of social distancing and increasingly online everything it probably should.

Youtube is essentially a Monopsony for monetized Internet video. So this will make many previously accessible channels inaccessible to the deaf and hard of hearing.