In November 2021, YouTube made the decision to remove the “dislikes” counter (the “I don’t like” button in French). Only the number of “likes” now appears, and only the creator is able to lay eyes on the number of “dislikes”. Five months have passed, the opportunity for Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube, to reconsider this change.
a controversial change
On YouTube, the tradition was that viewers share their feelings about the final result of the video via the “like” and “dislike” buttons. Support or criticism that can be fleshed out via the comment section. But after several years of having to endure the excesses of the Internet, Google’s video hosting and viewing platform wanted to take the lead with a controversial change: the removal of the “dislike” button counter. In order to “create a respectful and inclusive environment where creators have the opportunity to succeed while expressing themselves without fear“, YouTube preferred to hide this information from the eyes of the general public, while content creators can always find it via their profile.
In early 2021, YouTube was testing making the number of dislikes it once displayed private to see if attacks via dislikes were reduced. After an analysis carried out last July, a reduction was noted there. YouTube then made the decision to permanently remove the dislike counter, although the button itself was retained. Viewers can still click the button below the videos, an action used only to adjust their personal recommendations.
A controversial change that has come up against the scold of many users. And for good reason, the “like” and “dislike” buttons are part of the very identity of the platform. However, times are changing and so are Internet users. And to deal with new web practices, YouTube has decided to modify its DNA to reduce the number of free attacks carried out via its dislike button.
which should not be reversed
In a new interview conducted by streamer Ludwig Ahgren, Susan Wojcicki returned to this controversial change. But according to her, the “dislike” button was of little use for the general public and that it possibly fueled some toxicity.
“We knew this was going to be controversial“, Wojcicki said. “We have to do what is best for the ecosystem and the site as a whole. We have access to data that individual creators may not have, which means we look at all the stats on overall platform performance. We don’t just run one experiment, we run several over a period of time. The dislikes, we heard loud and clear why many people were unhappy with this decision. We also saw the impact it had on a lot of new creators and it’s bad. We must support new creators and how they develop for the long-term health of our ecosystem.”
As Wojcicki explains, the removal of the meter is justified by its impact on new creators. But although the general public no longer has any visibility on the dislike button, the creators still have access to this information. However, the absence of the counter of “I don’t like” makes it possible to limit the number of group attacks. Some Internet users may feel more pressured to press the dislike button if a large number of users have already done so beforehand. Moreover, the bar provided an interesting visual element that caught the eye. It is now easier to pass by without noticing it.
Note that Wojcicki also made it known that YouTube does not plan to reverse this change. Although the dislike button provides valuable information to professional channels such as video game publishers or film production companies, particularly regarding feedback on their trailers, it seems to negatively impact small creators.