If you want the benefits of this old version (lightweight, no ads, no Shorts) without the security nightmares, consider these modern alternatives:
If YouTube came pre-installed on your phone, you cannot fully uninstall it without root access. However, you can revert it. Youtube 2.02 08 Apk Download
For users tired of the ad overload in the native app, downgrading to this vintage version is a tempting ad-blocking workaround. If you want the benefits of this old