Study suggests YouTube's dislike button isn't doing what you want it to do

Date:
Tue, 20 Sep 2022 19:33:03 +0000

Description:
Mozilla researchers claim that YouTube's moderation tools are ineffective as people still get unwanted videos in their feed.

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A new study from Firefox developer Mozilla suggests that YouTubes video moderation tools are ineffective as the website will continue to recommend videos you arent interested in.

The way its supposed to work is that users have several tools to teach YouTubes enigmatic algorithm what they dont want to watch. You have options like the Dislike button, the Dont Recommend Channel option, and the ability
to remove videos from your accounts history. But according to Mozillas study
, users still get these bad recommendations. At best, YouTubes tools cut down unwanted videos by almost half. At its worst, YouTube does the opposite: it increases the number of unwanted videos you'll see.

The full 47-page study can be found on Mozillas website where it breaks down the researcher's methodology, how the organization obtained the data, its findings, and what it recommends YouTube should do. Mozilla's findings

The study consisted of over 22,000 volunteers who downloaded Mozillas RegretsReporter browser extension which allows users to control recommendations on YouTube and create reports for the researchers. Via RegretsReporter, they analyzed well over 500 million videos.

According to the findings, YouTubes tools are all over the place in terms of consistency. 39.3 percent of participants didnt see any changes to their recommendations. One user, named Participant 112 in the study, used the moderation tools to stop getting medical videos on their account only to be inundated with them a month later. 23 percent said they had a mixed experience. For that group, they stopped seeing unwanted videos for a while before having them reappear soon after. And 27.6 percent of participants did say they stopped getting the bad recommendations after using the moderation tools.

The most effective standalone tool turns out to be the Dont Recommend
Channel, which cut down recommendations by around 43 percent. The Not Interested option and Dislike button fared the worst as they only stopped 11 percent and 12 percent of unwanted videos, respectively.

Researchers also found that people would change their behavior to manage recommendations. In the study, users stated they would change YouTube settings, use a different account, or outright avoid watching certain videos lest they get more of them. Others would use VPNs and privacy extensions to help keep things clean.

At the end of the study, Mozilla researchers give their own recommendations
on how YouTube should change its algorithm with most of the emphasis on increasing transparency. They want to see the controls be made easier to understand while also asking YouTube to listen to user feedback more often. Mozilla also calls for the platform to be more transparent on how its algorithm works. YouTube's response

In response , a YouTube spokesperson made a statement to The Verge
criticizing the study. The spokesperson claims the researchers didn't take into account how the systems actually work and misunderstood how the tools function. Apparently, the moderation tools dont stop an entire topic, just that particular video or channel. By the researchers own admission , the
study is not a representative sample of YouTubes user base, but it does give some insight into user frustration.

That said, the YouTube algorithm and changes surrounding it have drawn considerable ire from users. Many were not happy that YouTube removed the Dislike counter from the website to the point where people have created extensions just to add it back in. Plus, there are claims that YouTube is capitalizing on controversial content to increase engagement. Presuming Mozilla's data is correct, unwanted recommendations may be a byproduct of the platform capitalizing on content people don't want in order to get more
views.

If youre interested in learning more about YouTube, be sure to check out TechRadars story on malware being spread through gaming videos .



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/study-suggests-youtubes-dislike-button-isnt-doi ng-what-you-want-it-to-do/


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