Update 10/31/2024: YouTube has confirmed this is not a feature being tested, with the official @TeamYouTube commenting on the original Dexerto post " @Dexerto Jumping in here to clarify that this may happen if viewers are watching YouTube with certain browser extensions enabled. If they disable extensions and still encounter this homepage experience, they can submit a report here & we'll investigate: https://goo.gle/4fiueJf"
The original story follows:
A surprising change is being tested for the YouTube homepage that could change how we choose our next video.
YouTube is easily the most popular video site in modern times, with both shows and movies available for free. However, YouTube is not one to rest on its laurels and is constantly testing new displays and pages to improve the overall service. A recent post on X from user vidlQ has revealed that Google is currently testing a new version of the homepage that removes the video viewer count and dates.
Currently, when looking at the YouTube home page, you can see the creator's name, the overall viewer count and the date it was published. However, the shared image completely removes the latter two, with only the creator's name appearing underneath each video. It's worth noting that there is no mention of whether the details will be viewable while the video is playing, so you might still be able to check when the video was released and how many likes it has.
The original post has a fair few comments regarding the change, especially the removal of dates. The issue is that, when it comes to many topics, there is an advantage to looking at the more recent video. For instance, new information can often massively change predicted video game trends, not to mention any video related to politics. Others praise removing views, considering many smaller creators are frequently avoided for those with a higher viewer count.
YouTube has seen some major changes in how it presents itself in recent months, for instance, by adding a pink gradient to the progress bar. We have also seen a removal of the skip countdown for ads, with it being replaced by a yellow line running along the bottom of the video. YouTube also announced several new AI features for creators that aim to give more creative freedom while streamlining content production and enhancing monetization.
It is worth noting that YouTube is only testing this change currently, and there is no word on whether it will be put into practice soon.
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