The YouTube team is testing the idea of removing the “Dislikes” button from Shorts' feed. The general reasoning behind the idea is that this button will be replaced with a new one: the “Save” button. This way, it will be easier for users to come back to the videos they like at any time.
The idea doesn't actually sound that bad. Many users admit that they really need the “Save” button in Shorts. Without an instant option to save a clip, people lose it in the flood of other content.
On the other hand, the issue of disabling dislikes comes into play. How much does that limit a user's freedom to express their opinion?
As YouTube's representatives explain:
“To make it easier to bookmark Shorts that you love, want to return to, or want to watch later, we’re experimenting with a “Save” button in the Shorts player. If you’re a viewer in the test group, you’ll see the ‘Save’ icon, which you can use to save Shorts to a new or existing playlist. To make room for the Save button, we moved our Shorts player menu around. In this experiment, the “Dislike” button is now housed in the 3-dot menu icon. To dislike a Short and share feedback, click the 3-dot icon in the top right of the Short you’re watching, then select ‘Dislike’ from the menu.”
Overall, the alternative of labeling content as “not interesting” instead of a “dislike” button seems pretty good. We will keep watching the development of this news and social media in general. Meanwhile, read our news and articles in the Blog section.
