[RyanZAG]

I don't think many would argue that the content was in any way worse back when the internet was used by a much smaller population. At the end of the day, the content that is really useful and that you actually want is rarely created by an army of everyday internet users. It's created by the dedicated and the ingenious, and those are the types that will migrate quickly to the hidden places.

[aequitas]

Look at how hard some of these creators are already struggling with getting enough patreons. How much do you think will survive in a hidden place? I'm not talking about the 1m channels that by now could just sign up with a publisher, but many of the sub 100k gems out there. Dedication and ingenuity will get you nowhere if you can't put bread on the table. Even with all its flaws YouTube has enabled a whole new world of creators to reach out to and be found by a crowd.