I have also personally noticed these slowdowns for months now and ever since till now it has been the same. idk what happen.
i would assume Google/you-tube are having problems catching up with bandwidth or they have limited bandwidth to each connection on them sites per computer connected to the site. it is especially even slower on hq and hd mode.
I have also noticed the slowdown on some other video sites. i kno for a fact it ain't my connection because it happens on any pc i use on my friends computers on their internet.
so something is up, but we do not know about it, because it is an obvious problem many people all over is dealing with, but that has not been talked about. just like anything else here on the states, they quietly pull stuff, but the average consumer tends to notice it.
just like food to use as analogy. they keep the same prices on certain items on the supermarkets but always knock off an oz or 2, to keep a product the same price, even thought it cost more if you getting less even if your paying the same, get me?, even if u barely notice it. those who buy something for a long time would notice the amount of a product is less/ does new to it, wouldn't matter. hope it makes sense lol
unless all internet providers are messing with bandwidth caps on some sites... another thing I've noticed, ever since the change of flash based sites where everything just pops up without the needs of pluggins etc, it tends to also slow down connection/with making pc's hotter and since you tube is based on all flash now it could make sense on buggin down the site. just a thought.