The issue is that your videos don't get surfaced unless you chase the algorithm. Hence thumbnails having faces on them all the time, also something the algorithm "likes".
Many creators have complained about the 'requirements' but if they don't do it, they don't get views.
They get views. They may not get as many views. Again, it's up to you if you want to defend crappy content in the name of a whatever% revenue increase. But as someone who's been making content for 12+ years and not chasing the algorithm, I can assure you, I absolutely get less views than people who do that, but I absolutely do still get views.
And ask yourself as a consumer of the videos-- what are you getting out of it? Literally just stop watching (and defending) videos with inflated runtimes; they do nothing but waste your time. Creators and/or the market will adjust or die out (or if enough others continue watching them, then they can keep doing their dumb thing while you seek out and support people doing it better, so everybody wins).
Many creators have complained about the 'requirements' but if they don't do it, they don't get views.