Starting in November 2021, YouTube has gradually introduced a new feature involving the Dislike button, which you may have noticed, perhaps thinking it was a temporary error or bug. But no: while continuing to be present and clickable, the “dislike button “, accompanied by a small thumb down, no longer shows the total number of “Dislikes”. On the contrary, the “Like” button has not undergone any changes, and the total number of appreciations to the videos is still public and visible to all.
This sudden – and rather radical – change may have taken you by surprise, but it is, of course, the fruit of in-depth reflection. YouTube made this decision following an experiment, which showed that users are less likely to click “I do not like” if they cannot see how many people have already done so. In short, this new feature would make the online environment more serene and less pervaded by hatred and negativity, which often hit creators hard; again, according to the study conducted, it would be, above all, the smaller creators to be damaged by the Dislikes.
On the YouTube blog, we read that this is just one of many aspects that are being worked on to allow video creators to express themselves freely and without fear, feel safe and protected, and have the opportunity to grow and succeed. However, if you want to know how many Dislikes a video has accumulated, know that some tricks to restore it exist, and in this guide, I will tell you about them.
Because They Are Important
Although the choice made by YouTube may be understandable in many respects, it is undeniable that dislikes (along with likes, of course) have particular importance; in fact, they represent a fundamental indicator of the quality of a given video and the type of reaction it is generating in other people. I do not doubt that it has happened many times to you to end up on a video by pure chance, without knowing whether to see it or not; well, in situations of this type, checking the likes and dislikes can be very useful, helping you decide whether to go on with the vision or not.
Can You Still Dislike It?
If you’re wondering if you can still dislike a video, the answer is yes. If you try to go to YouTube and watch any video, you will find that, right under the title, you will find the overall views, the Like button with its count and, finally, the Dislike button, without any number. In short, the “dislike button” is still present under each video, and you are free to use it whenever you see fit, letting the creator know that you did not like the content you shared.
Are Dislikes Still Counted?
Again, the answer to the question is yes. The fact that the count is not public does not mean that YouTube no longer keeps track of the dislikes that each video receives. This would be a senseless move, which would harm the people the new function should protect: For creators, it is essential to have feedback on their content so that they can understand what works and what doesn’t, and maybe how to “adjust the shot” accordingly.
Who Can See Them By Default?
What I have explained to you so far inevitably leads to a further question: in short, but these Dislikes, which continue to be counted but are no longer public, who can see them? Well, the creators. Like other social networks, YouTube also offers its users the possibility of accessing some data hidden from “external eyes”. For example, Instagram and Facebook let creators know how many people have seen a post. Likewise, YouTube continues to let its creators know how many dislikes all their videos have received.
How To View The Dislikes Of Others
At this point, I have to explain how to go back to seeing the Dislikes on YT. This is a straightforward process, here are the steps to follow:
- Install or open Google Chrome on your PC (with Windows, Linux distro, etc.) or Mac;
- Go to the Chrome Web Store ;
- Look for the “Return YouTube Dislike” extension and click “Install”.
Once this is done, the plug-in will appear at the top right, along with any others you may have already installed, and will allow you to sell your Dislike account every time you log in to youtube.com.
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