Confessional interview: "Yes, I subscribe to YouTube Premium and I'm not ashamed of it!"

It was a Wednesday at the office, everything was going well, I was still convinced that I was happy and living in a more or less normal world, but that was before. Well, before Camila, whom I respect as a journalist and as a person, confessed to me in the greatest of calmness, without any embarrassment, that she was a subscriber to YouTube Premium.

YouTube Premium what? Yes, you know, this application that offers YouTube Music Premium but also the SVOD catalog YouTube Originals as well as basic features such as playback with the screen off or the native Picture in Picture mode. But the main interest of this subscription is that it gets rid of ads, the famous "adrolls" at the beginning and in the middle of each video.

But what shocks me the most is that there wasn't even a nervous chuckle or a blush betraying a possible embarrassment. No, no, Camila announces to me quietly that she has given in to the biggest blackmail, a hold-up, no, even worse, a virtual TAKEOVER operated by Google for years since the days of YouTube RED.

In this confessional interview, I reveal the true face of those who pay for the content they consume online. Pfft, paying for web content, what's next?

1. Aren't you ashamed, Camila? You know how much people make fun of YouTube Premium subscribers online. What do you have to say to your detractors?

As you know, Antoine, I have been around the tech world for quite some time now. Which means that I have made many choices that are considered "out of the box".

When everyone was using Facebook, I decided to invest in the social network promise at the time: Google Plus. I even remember a good friend's comment at the time, "No Facebook, but she's on fire on G+!"

I consider myself an early adopter of everything that comes along — for better or worse. So the fact that I pay for YouTube Premium has never been anything to be ashamed of. 

For my critics, I'll use the phrase of the famous Brazilian literary writer Nelson Rodrigues: "All unanimity is dumb!"

2. When and why did you decide to subscribe to YouTube Premium?

Maybe this is shocking to some people, but I've been using YouTube Premium since 2018! I actually started paying for the service because of YouTube Music, as I don't have [prepare for strong statements] Spotify!

At the time, I had purchased the Google Pixel 3 and - perhaps in my naivety - wanted to have an experience "a la Apple" with Google. So I chose to pay for the service. I'll say it again: I haven't regretted it to this day!

You're part of a very very very very very very very very very very very very very very niche community of users. Do you think you're better than us?

Yes.

[Ed. note: Faced with the violence of these responses and the complete lack of remorse, I had to briefly interrupt the interview to regain my composure. Camila was staring at me and I could perceive an unhealthy smile forming on her face.]

3. Is it safe to say that you're the kind of person who buys WinRAR or buys or even rents movies on Prime Video when you already pay for a subscription?

You got me! I actually paid for a number of movies, even though I am a Prime Video subscriber. The last title I think was The Conjuring 3, I paid 15 euros. (I can show you the bill of purchase)

I recently bought Spike Lee's Malcolm X on Apple TV+ as well... and I'm an Apple One subscriber. I just can't help it.

[Editor's note: I know, this interview is getting hard to bear. I advise sensitive people to step away from their screens and not look at the screenshot provided by Camila below.]

4. If we listed all your subscriptions and ranked them from best to worst, would YouTube Premium be in your top 3?

No, it’s definitely not!

5. Do you have any regrets? Don't you think you betrayed the techosphere by giving in to Google's blackmail?

I'll say it again: I haven't regretted it to this day!

6. Would you recommend YouTube Premium to someone? If so, what would be your 3 arguments for and against?

I would definitely recommend subscribing to YouTube Premium. First, not being bombarded with targeted ads on the platform makes me feel more human. I really hate being targeted by algorithmic ads. This is the most relevant point for me.

Second, I can download any video and watch it offline whenever I want, without lagging or crashing and without wasting data! After all, waiting for the miracle of 5G is just not good enough, right?

And third, I can listen to any show or video on the platform with the phone screen off. I also have the PiP feature, and I don't even need to mention the YouTube Music catalog without ads or limitations!

So, am I still that much of a sucker?

I won't answer that question because it's time to close this emotional interview. If you've had the strength to make it this far and you or someone close to you is a YouTube Premium subscriber, know that you are not alone. Camila is the perfect example of how you can make very bad choices and still be a good person and live a good life.

On a more serious note, I thank Camila for playing along with this semi-serious format that is supposed to entertain you a bit. I also congratulate her for not letting herself be defeated by my questions, which were obviously not all asked at face value. If you like this format, don't hesitate to tell me in the comments.