YouTube denies testing dislike button removal for general platform viewers

YouTube has confirmed that it is not testing the removal of the dislike button for general platform viewers, Dexerto reported and FTMQ Creators reported earlier. Reports originally suggested that the platform was testing hiding the dislike option entirely from standard video controls. Dexerto cited a 9to5Google report showing that some users noticed the button missing alongside usual options. [1][4]

In a statement to FTMQ Creators, YouTube spokesperson Kimberly Taylor stated that the platform is not hiding the dislike button for general users. However, YouTube is rolling out a revised interface specifically for creators managing their uploaded videos. That new layout moves the dislike button location into a three-dot menu, as FTMQ Creators reported earlier. [4]

The potential modification follows YouTube removing public dislike counts from videos nearly five years ago in 2021, according to Dexerto. That previous change generated significant backlash from viewers who used public dislike tallies to gauge video content before watching. [1]

YouTube was founded in February 2005 and acquired by Google in November 2006 for 1.65 billion dollars in stock. The video platform serves more than 2.7 billion monthly active users, with creators uploading over 500 hours of video every minute. [2][3]