YouTube should offer a "Premium Light" version where you can eliminate the ads, but you can't download the videos or do certain special features. And charge only US$5.99/month for this version.
I’m noticing the same thing. Youtube is trying to find any way possible to get around the ad blockers, especially uBlock Origin. It’s been hit and miss the past couple of days with me. I even went so far as to create a new account and clear the cookie files every day to try and throw Youtube off my scent.
“And charge only US$5.99/month for this version.”
Overall, only a small percentage of users would pay that for content that has been free all this time. I wouldn’t. And they’d sneak in more and more ads over time.