During a recent update video, YouTube announced that it would be making changes to the dislike count on the platform and countless viewers and content creators alike have voiced their displeasure with the changes. Now, popular Twitch streamer Felix "xQc" Lengyel has given his opinion on the new changes during a recent Just Chatting livestream.
Several content creators on YouTube have already given their take on the changes to the dislike button, pointing out the benefits of the feature. Twitch streamer xQc joined the majority of YouTube fans in saying that the changes to the dislike count are wrong. In addition to all of the voices telling YouTube that this decision is an unpopular one, the recent update video from team YouTube has more than twice as many dislikes as it does likes.
According to YouTube, dislike counts will soon be exclusively visible to creators of the videos, with like counts remaining visible for all to see. This change is apparently being made because certain groups of viewers were targeting the YouTube dislike button of videos because they don't like what the content creator stands for, as opposed to the quality of the videos themselves. After a lengthy period of testing the removal of the dislike count, YouTube has decided to embrace the changes across the platform without giving YouTubers the ability to opt-in or out of the new system.
YouTube recently suggested that the dislike count was being used by trolls as a game with a visible scoreboard, showing them just how badly they could ratio a channel or video. A ratio is when someone with a bad or unpopular take is overwhelmed by people with a good or popular take. During his recent livestream explaining the issues around removing the dislike count, xQc explained the benefits of both the like button and dislike button, as well as the importance of a ratio like KFC Gaming's recent Sony State of Play ratio attempt.
According to xQc, if someone stands for poor values or if they are a negative person who comes up with misinformation or drama then they shouldn't be rewarded. The popular Twitch streamer feels like YouTube's changes to the dislike count are being made for the wrong kind of content creator because of the public validation of the like count remaining visible.
Making his words harsher to prove a point, xQc stated that if one's views are dumb and the dislike count is high, they probably deserve a level of criticism. While watching the YouTube dislike update video, xQc clarified that he could like the video to tell the content creator that he approves of the message, or in contrast, he could hit dislike to say that he disagrees with the message. Although xQc believes this is a simple concept and his audience mostly agrees, YouTube believes that the dislike button has been used in an improper way and the dislike count will be unviewable by the public in the near future.