The issue is that things like YouTube are so ubiquitous and have such a stranglehold that it seems like it should be a service in public control and without a corporate overlord with ulterior motives. That’s the strange thing about the internet right now and ultimately the stage of capitalism we’re in: there are a ton of tacit monopolies which are not being held to any standard about what they control. Some of them look a lot like utilities (e.g. ISPs) since they are so ubiquitous (and compare YouTube to public television 50 years ago – not a utility, but also not something that has traditionally been possible for any single corporation).
That said, ultimately these companies will continue to do whatever they want because they can (until real regulation returns, but I have my qualms it will ever happen at this point).
You and OP are both right, IMHO.
The issue is that things like YouTube are so ubiquitous and have such a stranglehold that it seems like it should be a service in public control and without a corporate overlord with ulterior motives. That’s the strange thing about the internet right now and ultimately the stage of capitalism we’re in: there are a ton of tacit monopolies which are not being held to any standard about what they control. Some of them look a lot like utilities (e.g. ISPs) since they are so ubiquitous (and compare YouTube to public television 50 years ago – not a utility, but also not something that has traditionally been possible for any single corporation).
That said, ultimately these companies will continue to do whatever they want because they can (until real regulation returns, but I have my qualms it will ever happen at this point).