> It could just as easily be that a download feature doesn't exist because YouTube wants you to keep returning to their site if you want to rewatch a video.
Lets be clear though - the only reason copyrighted material is allowed on Youtube is because the owners then grant a license for the content in exchange for ad revenue. Offering a download link severly damages the "owners are paid for their content" part of the equation.
This is true and still applies in the case where you pay for YouTube Premium. Even if you use YouTube Premium you are also helping pay the content creators [1]
> # How YouTube Premium supports creators.
> Creators are the heart and soul of YouTube. To make sure they're compensated for their work, we share ad revenue with them when you watch ads on YouTube. If you're a YouTube Premium member, you won't see ads, so we share your monthly membership fee with creators. Best of all, the more videos you watch from your favorite creators, the more money they make.
So, to reply to the gp you technically aren’t just paying “evil” and “greedy” big corps, but your also helping all the YouTubers.
Lets be clear though - the only reason copyrighted material is allowed on Youtube is because the owners then grant a license for the content in exchange for ad revenue. Offering a download link severly damages the "owners are paid for their content" part of the equation.