Hi Peter,
You Tube likes you to register with your email, so it can send you alerts when new videos arrive. The same as we do with Airgun 101 - which sends a weekly newsletter of all the new videos and offers.
None of the You Tube creators I work with ask for payment to videos on the You Tube site. Subscribing is free and just enables you to get alerts for that channel, and the like button is a way of letting the video maker know if you like or dislike the content.
You Tube does have a subscription ( payment service ) - you will only know if your joining that when they actually ask for your payment details - and almost 99.999% of content is available without any form of payment.
101 is funded by the Sponsors - the banners on the site and the adverts that run in front of some video's. Thats how we make what we do possible, the same as You Tube.
Be assured unless your actually entering a payment detail - neither You Tube or 101 is taking payment from you.
101 does not have a pay service at all.
Yes, when you register with 101 we do collect your email, which is covered in our GDPR terms on the site and You Tube would also do the same. If that's not for you, then yes, just visit the sites every few days and search your favourite channels.
Thanks for watching 101 - glad to know your enjoying.
Cheers
Giles