YouTube Removes Dislike Counts From All Videos – What Does This Mean for Content Creators?

YouTube Removes Dislike Counts On All Videos

In November 2021, YouTube announced that it would be removing the public-facing "Dislike" count from all videos on the platform. This change was made in an effort to reduce "dislike attacks," which are coordinated campaigns to drive up the number of dislikes on a video, often for malicious reasons.

The dislike button will still be available for viewers to use, but the number of dislikes a video has received will only be visible to the creator of the video. YouTube believes that this change will help to create a more positive and supportive environment for creators, especially smaller creators who may be more vulnerable to dislike attacks.

The removal of dislike counts has been met with mixed reactions from users. Some users believe that it is a positive change that will help to protect creators from harassment. Others believe that it is a negative change that will make it more difficult for viewers to identify low-quality or misleading videos.

Pros of removing dislike counts:

• Reduces the risk of "dislike attacks"
• Protects creators from harassment
• Creates a more positive and supportive environment for creators

Cons of removing dislike counts:

• Makes it more difficult for viewers to identify low-quality or misleading videos
• Reduces transparency and accountability on the platform
• Could lead to an increase in clickbait and spam videos

Overall, the removal of dislike counts is a complex issue with both pros and cons. It is too early to say what the long-term impact of this change will be on the YouTube platform.

How to decide whether or not to watch a video without dislike counts:

While dislike counts are no longer publicly visible, there are still ways to decide whether or not to watch a video. Here are a few tips:

• Look at the title and thumbnail of the video. Does it give you a good idea of what the video is about?
• Read the description of the video. Does it provide more information about the content of the video?
• Check out the channel that uploaded the video. Do they have a good reputation? Have you enjoyed other videos from this channel in the past?
• Read the comments on the video. What are other viewers saying about the video? Are they positive or negative comments?

If you are still unsure about whether or not to watch a video, you can always skip ahead a few minutes to see if the content is something that you are interested in.

Conclusion

The removal of dislike counts from YouTube is a significant change to the platform. It remains to be seen what the long-term impact of this change will be. However, viewers can still use a variety of other factors to decide whether or not to watch a video.