YouTube experiments with moving dislike button to submenu
YouTube is testing a new interface that relocates the dislike button from the main action bar to a secondary menu, potentially reducing user engagement with the feature.
Google-owned video platform YouTube is conducting tests that relocate the dislike button to the three-dot overflow menu, according to multiple user reports on social media. The change removes the button from its prominent position next to the like counter, requiring an additional user action to access the function.
This test follows a series of interface adjustments by the platform regarding negative feedback metrics. In 2021, YouTube disabled the public-facing dislike count on all videos, a move the company stated was intended to protect creators from targeted harassment campaigns. By shifting the button into a submenu, critics suggest the platform is further discouraging negative feedback.
The initiative reflects a broader trend of simplification within the platform's mobile and desktop interfaces. If implemented permanently, the change could significantly decrease the volume of dislike data recorded by the site, as users are statistically less likely to interact with functions buried in submenus.
YouTube has not yet issued an official statement regarding the timeline or scope of this experiment. The platform frequently runs A/B tests to measure how interface changes influence viewer retention and interaction patterns.