Youtube has been in the red since Google bought it out. Google doesn't really seem to mind as long as they have you in their ecosystem. This entire move had absolutely nothing to do with "muh mental health" and pretty much everything to do with protecting the reputations/botttom lines of the White House, big pharma and the corporate media. If they had their way, you can bet your arse that comments would be history. Dislikes are a shorthand way for people to show their disapproval (Nintendo Switch Expansion Pass, anyone?). Yeah, it sucks when you get them and they are open to abuse, but so are transit vans and household chemicals.

The plebs may have won this round, but don't believe for one second that this has gone away. The run may have failed in this instance, but the walk is much more insidious. Take microtransactions (please :P).