YouTube to Test Hiding Public Dislike Counts

YouTube has announced the commencement of testing a potentially substantial alteration to its video platform today. The platform intends to evaluate concealing the number of dislikes visible on videos to the general public.

The company clarified that it will initiate a “small experiment” involving several distinct interface designs where dislike counts are no longer displayed. However, the “dislike” button itself will remain accessible to users.

Rationale Behind the Change

The announcement was initially made via Twitter, with a more detailed explanation provided in a post on the YouTube community forum. The primary objective is not to eliminate the ability for users to express their disapproval of a video.

Creators will continue to have access to the complete like and dislike data through YouTube Studio. Dislikes will also continue to contribute to the functionality of YouTube’s recommendation algorithms.

The impetus for this change stems directly from feedback received from content creators.

Addressing Creator Concerns

“We have received reports from creators indicating that publicly visible dislike counts can negatively affect their well-being,” the announcement stated. “Furthermore, these counts can sometimes incite coordinated campaigns of dislikes targeting a creator’s content.”

The intention is to test designs that omit the visible like or dislike count, aiming to strike a balance between enhancing the creator experience and ensuring that viewer feedback remains valuable and accessible to creators.

Potential Benefits and Drawbacks

The Like and Dislike buttons on YouTube can sometimes foster a collective mindset. However, the visibility of dislike counts can also serve as a signal to viewers, alerting them to potentially misleading, spammy, or clickbait videos.

This information can be beneficial in helping users discern the quality and reliability of content.

Design Variations and Testing

YouTube showcased one potential design currently under evaluation. This design maintains the existing button layout but replaces the numerical dislike count with the word “Dislike” displayed beneath the thumbs-down icon.

Users who encounter these changes while logged into YouTube will not have the option to opt out. The company encourages users to provide feedback on their experience.

Future Implementation

It is important to note that YouTube has not yet committed to permanently removing the dislike count for all users. The data gathered from this test will inform future decisions regarding the broader implementation of these design changes.

Industry Trends

YouTube is not alone in experimenting with the removal of metrics from social applications. Instagram has also been testing the concealment of like counts to foster a more genuine experience and reduce the emphasis on popularity.

Similarly, Facebook removed the “Like” button from Facebook Pages earlier this year, replacing it with the more informative “Followers” metric.

However, removing only the dislike count while retaining the like count could potentially lead to misinterpretations regarding a video’s actual popularity.

Test Scope and Duration

According to TechCrunch, the tests will be conducted globally over the coming weeks on both Android and iOS platforms. YouTube will be collecting feedback on a variety of design iterations.

Updated 3/30/21, 6 pm et to add details about launch.