The ability to view the number of dislikes on YouTube videos, once a standard feature, has been removed by YouTube. This change impacts users accessing the platform via mobile devices, mirroring the experience on desktop. Prior to this modification, a numerical representation of both likes and dislikes was displayed beneath each video, offering a quick indicator of audience sentiment.
The rationale behind obscuring the dislike count stems from efforts to foster a more respectful viewing environment and discourage targeted harassment campaigns, often characterized by coordinated efforts to downvote specific content. Understanding the history of this feature’s presence and subsequent removal provides context for the current viewing experience and the platform’s ongoing evolution. It is important to note that the content creator can still see the dislike metrics in YouTube Studio.