YouTube has released a new interface design, saying it will start testing to hide the number of low ratings given to videos. You can press the low rating button, but the viewer cannot see the total number. However, creators can keep track of the number of low ratings from YouTube Studio.
👍👎 In response to creator feedback around well-being and targeted dislike campaigns, we’re testing a few new designs that don’t show the public dislike count. If you’re part of this small experiment, you might spot one of these designs in the coming weeks (example below!). pic.twitter.com/aemrIcnrbx
— YouTube (@YouTube) March 30, 2021
This test is based on feedback from creators on “well-being and targeted dislike campaigns”.
Low ratings are a means of expressing intention from the viewer side, but there are also harassments such as abusing them and giving a large number of low ratings in a group. If there are many low ratings, there will be disadvantages such as being difficult to be displayed in YouTube recommendations. For this reason, in January 2019, YouTube presented some ideas, including not displaying the low rating button itself, and solicited opinions from creators.
I don’t know if the low-rated count will be hidden, another measure will be taken, or it will eventually return to normal, but I would like to evaluate the attitude of continuing some systematic efforts.