The Problem with Digital Ownership and 5 Streaming Alternatives

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In this video titled "I QUIT Paying for Streaming and Use These 5 Alternatives Instead," Spencer Campbell from the channel Spencer's Adventures discusses the frustrations of rising subscription costs and the loss of true digital ownership.

[YouTube]

Spencer examines the trend of "enshittification" in the streaming industry, where platforms prioritize profit over user experience by increasing prices and adding ads to paid tiers. He argues that streaming has become a cycle of monthly rentals where consumers have no control over their libraries. To combat this, he outlines five practical alternatives: utilizing free ad-supported services like Tubi and Pluto TV, investing in physical media, buying DRM-free digital music, using a broadcast antenna for local TV, and making use of the free digital and physical collections at public libraries.

The point Spencer makes about digital ownership is one that is becoming harder to ignore. We have seen instances where videos purchased through major services simply disappear because of licensing changes, leaving the consumer with no recourse. Relying on physical media or DRM-free files is a much more reliable way to ensure your library remains yours. My Streaming Life is much more stable when it doesn't depend entirely on the shifting whims of corporate licensing and subscription tiers.