I'd argue that even YouTube users who aren't paying for premium are paying too, just with their personal data instead of state currency. But it's still an exchange of value. Which IIRC, is the whole reason Newpipe exists, to circumvent that exchange of value.
It's not just data. Watching ads is paying, because it increases the viewers' cumulative likeliness to spend money with the brands whose ads they see.
The way money leaves your wallet is through probability, spread out in time and with the viral ability to spread to others. Compared to a fixed subscription or one-time payment, this is a lot harder to notice or control, but it's money leaving your wallet nonetheless.
I'd argue that even YouTube users who aren't paying for premium are paying too, just with their personal data instead of state currency. But it's still an exchange of value. Which IIRC, is the whole reason Newpipe exists, to circumvent that exchange of value.