"Just announced by YouTube, the website will be limiting the amount of Subscriptions a non-premium user can have, as well as limiting the amount of likes and comments a user without YouTube Premium can use per day. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan has described the decision as "a measure to prevent voting and comment manipulation" and said that "most YouTube users will not be affected by the change."
"YouTube content creators such as however, are furious. Creators like Markiplier are calling the move "disgusting and money-hungry, with no consideration for the users that make YouTube all of its content."
"No statement has been made yet on how limiting the amount of comments and likes free users can use will affect the algorithm for these creators"
Death to Google
Its not really a question of smart v. stupid. Advertising rates are plummeting. The value of eyeballs is subsequently going down. So all YouTube can do is ratchet down the number of features for these loss-leader consumers. If people aren't contributing to your revenue stream, scaring them off doesn't hurt your business model.
Elon unwittingly got in ahead of the curve because he started tanking his business before the advertising slump. But he's implementing features that every social media company has been flirting with for years, now. These aren't even original ideas.