YouTube considering hidden comments by default, according to app test
The YouTube comment section is notorious for being extremely toxic, but the company is looking for ways to combat that.
They’re testing out hiding the comment section on videos so users can only see it after clicking a button.
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The comments section doesn’t currently have a major presence on mobile, with it appearing at the bottom of the page.
In the test the company is rolling out, they don’t appear at all until users click on a button.
The new Comments button is located between the Thumbs Down and hare buttons below the video. It’s unclear if the shift will affect user engagement which is likely why this is only being tested for now.
The test was initially reportedly being tested on Android devices in India but has been confirmed to be tested on iOS devices in different regions now.
The change comes after YouTube came under fire for their comment sections being used by paedophiles to lure young users of the site. The company disabled comments on videos with kids, and they’re also considering shifting children’s content to a separate platform.
A YouTube spokesperson confirmed the test but underscored the reasons why.
“We’re always experimenting with ways to help people more easily find, watch, share and interact with the videos that matter most to them,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch. “We are testing a few different options on how to display comments on the watch page. This is one of many small experiments we run all the time on YouTube, and we’ll consider rolling features out more broadly based on feedback on these experiments.”
What do you think of YouTube testing out hiding their comment section? Let us know in the comments below.
