If you’ve noticed the “dislike” button missing while watching YouTube Shorts lately, you’re not alone. Google has launched a new test process that will fundamentally change the negative feedback system on its platform. While this change aims to personalize your viewing experience, it has already angered some users.
The Dislike Button May Now Be “Hidden”
According to information shared on YouTube’s support forums, the company is redesigning both the location and naming of the “dislike” button on Shorts videos. Here are the details of this new experiment and the changes you might encounter.
If you were included in the test group, you may have noticed that the familiar thumbs-down button has been removed from the main screen. For some users, Google has moved this button into the three-dot “more options” menu in the upper right corner. Interestingly, while the “like” button remains prominently displayed on the main screen, you now need to perform an extra action to give a negative reaction.
Google isn’t just changing the button’s location; it’s also questioning its meaning. In tests, some users see two different options together in the menu:
- Dislike
- Not Interested
In another test group, these two options are combined, with the classic dislike icon accompanied by the phrase “Not Interested.” According to Google, viewers already use these two terms interchangeably. The company hopes this change will help the algorithm better understand what bothers or interests you.
YouTube’s past practice of hiding dislike counts under videos caused significant controversy. Now, the button being completely hidden behind menus is being interpreted by users as “a move that makes it harder to measure content quality.”
Google is offering users participating in this experiment an optional survey to complete after selecting one of the options. If you are unhappy with this new interface or are having trouble finding the button, you can provide feedback directly through the YouTube app.
{{user}} {{datetime}}
{{text}}