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YouTube is testing hiding dislike counts to stop 'targeted campaigns' against creators and protect their well-being

By Isobel Asher Hamilton
YouTube
Thiago Prudêncio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
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YouTube is testing hiding "dislike" counts on videos as a way of stopping users from ganging up on creators.

"In response to creator feedback around well-being and targeted dislike campaigns, we're testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count," YouTube said in a statement.

It said some creators would see the design change over the next few weeks as part of "this small experiment."

The change is targeted at preventing a phenomenon known as "dislike mobs," when an online group deliberately target a video with dislikes en masse.

In 2019, YouTube's then-director of product management Tom Leung said options for preventing dislike mobs were being "lightly discussed" inside the company.

Creators will still be able to see how many dislikes they've had on a video by using in-house analytics.

YouTube did not say how how many creators would be trialling its new design, and did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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Isobel Asher Hamilton
Isobel Asher Hamilton
Isobel (she/her) was a senior tech reporter at Business Insider. She was particularly interested in Big Tech, privacy, and worker's rights. You can read some of her previous work here: The quest to find $181 million in bitcoin buried in a dump Exclusive: Amazon targeted military spouses in a pandemic recruitment drive. 2 of them say they ended up being paid 33% less than non-military coworkers. Exclusive: Amazon plans a pay cut of up to 23% for hourly workers who guide trucks in and out of its UK delivery stations Exclusive: Tesla's solar division asks employees to scour social media for complaints about both the company and Elon Musk, trying to get customers to delete their posts, former employees say A couple says their Tesla Solar panels caused relentless leaks that led to mold 10 times the healthy limit, $115,000 in damages, and a long-running legal battle Ghosted by Tesla: Customers say Tesla's ultrasleek, expensive Solar Roofs and panels come with nightmare customer service, often leaving them with unanswered calls and emails for months on end Amazon workers leading a historic push for unionization in Alabama describe midnight 'education' meetings, an unexpected mailbox, and streams of anti-union flyers as they go up against one of the world's most powerful companies 'It's a slap in the face': Amazon is handing out 'Thank you' t-shirts to warehouse workers as it cuts their hazard pay Investigation: Amazon warehouse employees speak out about the 'brutal' reality of working during the holidays, when 60-hour weeks are mandatory and ambulance calls are common The science behind Elon Musk's brain-chip company Neuralink Investigation: Instagram's new TV service recommended videos of potential child abuse
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