If you’ve noticed the dislike button missing from YouTube Shorts lately, you aren’t alone. Google is trying out some changes for how dislikes work on the platform, and it could make it easier to signal what you’re actually interested in.
According to a new post shared on YouTube’s support forums, the company is experimenting with both the placement and the naming of its dislike functionality in YouTube Shorts (via Android Authority). If your typical thumbs-down button has been missing from Shorts lately, you’ve likely found yourself in this testing phase. For some users, Google has moved the dislike button into the overflow menu, reached by tapping the triple-dotted menu button in the top-right corner, all while keeping the thumbs-up button perfectly visible within normal playback.
Hiding dislike functionality might be frustrating enough for some users, but it’s not the only change being tried out here. While some people will see “Dislike” alongside “Not interested,” others will see the two options combined, showcasing “Not interested” phrasing next to the usual thumbs-down iconography.
Google says its viewers often use these terms interchangeably, and it hopes that by giving users various layouts, it can determine what’s best for allowing fans to tune their individual algorithms. Then again, considering how annoyed people often are when YouTube messes with its dislikes, it’s easy to imagine some fans hating this change.
Google says anyone involved with this experiment will receive an optional survey after selecting either option from the overflow menu. You can also share feedback within the YouTube app itself.
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- YouTube’s redesigned video player for TVs is rolling out now
- The Oscars are leaving ABC for YouTube and YouTube TV in 2029
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