I just duckduckgo some youtube downlaoder sites, paste the link, wait for download, then watch using VLC. Not seamless, but whatever, I can read a wiki article while I wait.

Invidious mainly, and that doesn't use any YT accounts, it's the equivalent of watching YT logged out.

Also, Grayjay lets you log in through it but that probably doesn't bypass the age check if you're KYC'd.

If you're an active creator yourself though or even if you only have a few vids you made years ago that are still up, I'd set up PeerTube, Odysee, or both, and post those there while you still can, though.

Getting GrayJay was the best decision I made. However much the one time license was, I have 0 regrets.

Yeah they still rarely work but I'd rather deal with intermittent inoperability than log into a YT account and use their absolute atrocity of a UI.

Also worth noting that paying for premium does not give you any more control over this waterfall of forcefed garbage.