YouTube will hide the number of dislikes for all videos

YouTube's experiment with hiding dislikes has apparently been successful. The service is introducing a change that will make counting dislikes private for videos across YouTube. The button will still exist (and affect your recommendations), and the producers of that content can still see the number - you simply won't see the numbers as a viewer.

The brand owned by Google is aware that some people used counting to make viewing decisions or not, but they thought that secret counting would help the community as a whole, Engadget reports. New and smaller creators are more often the target of dislike campaigns, YouTube said, and the test reduced that harassment. This move will theoretically create an "inclusive and respectful" space in which video creators will have a better chance of succeeding and feeling safe.

There is no guarantee that this benefit will reach every user, or that it will not encourage determined harassers to find alternatives. It’s also no secret that YouTube has its own motives as a victim of dislike attacks - just ask them about Rewind 2018. Anyway, this could discourage “accidental” abuse of the “Don’t like” button, not to mention companies of organized dislikers hoping to suppress videos that conflict with their views.

By: Amber V.