[Nextgrid]

The problem I have with this solution is that I don't trust Google not to take my money and then still stalk me. This requires providing valid billing & payment information (otherwise the payment wouldn't go through) where as without it you could technically create an account with fake details.

Even when paying for it the YouTube UX is pretty terrible and you're still locked-in to their apps (even though if the service is paid there should be no commercial reason for why third-party clients couldn't be allowed, unless Google wants to "double-dip" by taking money and still tracking or annoying their users with engagement-generating UX).

[sircastor]

I have YouTube premium (freebie holdover from Google music) and I don’t trust Google here either. In fact, I would be surprised if they (or anyone else for that matter) don’t track.

I think many people and outlets have wrongly attributed paying with not tracking because we associated tracking and ads with not paying.

Really, they have very little incentive to not track, unless that’s explicitly what you’re buying.

Adjacent: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/23/iphone-...