I am a developer who uses YouTube apis and on the day they announced removal of dislikes, I received a mail saying that their api will remove 'dislikes' property for all videos in the future, asking developers to accommodate the change before going live.
Yeah, it will be removed on December 13th. I'll try to scrape as much data as possible until then. After that - total dislikes will be estimated using extension-users as a sample.
On the technical side, do they have to remove the property? Can they set the value always to be something like 0 so that existing code can still run without any change?
I think they mentioned developers can make an exemption request to have the dislike info, as long as they don’t publish it publicly. I’m sure there’s a loophole around this.
There used to be extensions for adding comments to any URL, but ultimately they all have the same problems: split audience, not enough commenters, too much spam, too much moderation, and not enough monetization to keep it working.
That is what Gab was doing to every site. Which is nice idea but sadly was associated with being right wing = bad. So was pretty much banned from every browser store.
Good point. I applied for approval, but it takes some time. The code is un-obfuscated so you can look in the sources of the extension if you want to. Didn't wan't to publish code to github just yet - because it's embarrassingly shitty.
Have you thought of adding a service component, where users can sign their channel up for dislike scraping, essentially voluntarily publishing their dislike counts? This could also have the effect where videos of creators that do decide to publish their dislikes look more trustworthy than those with a hidden count, kind of how it is already.
It seems like an alternative is leaving a YouTube comment “Dislike” and then people upvote that comment. I wonder if you could leverage that strategy in addition? Instead of just storing the dislikes in an API that requires an extension.
I wonder if this could get merged into SponsorBlock. Just a single database of extra crowdsourced metadata about videos, including dislikes, and not just unwanted video segments. It'd probably be the quickest way to get this on iOS since iSponsorBlock would add it.
Doesn't work. The extension calls to return-youtube-dislike-api.azurewebsites.net with the video ID of the youtube video you are watching which has some black box caching going on but it can't pull dislikes from a video that never had those statistics public. Additionally the api also doesn't update the ticket once the video tranitions from public to private stats.
Thanks, will handle this case. The extension works only for "happy scenario" right now (i.e. cases for which youtube API returns a valid dislike count).
Cases like this can't be handled properly until the extension userbase is big enough to be a representative sample. Once we have a userbase, though, like\dislike ratio can be derived from this sample. But I've spent only one weekend on this project (and most of time was wasted on domain certificates and other annoying stuff that I've never done before). So, I'm happy that, at least, it works in a "normal" scenario.
Problem with this extension is is that it seems to rely on dislike counts actually being reported on in the HTML (or JSON in the future). However, I coded a script that calculates dislikes with plain math and is 100% accurate on tons of videos. This script will continue to work even after dislike counts are fully removed from YouTube's API response. (link if you want
I wonder if someone could make an external dislike count service and add an extension to add the button in and retrieve the dislike count. Big problem I see is the cost of keeping a service running that has to aggregate that many account + video counts, because you can’t allow people to dislike one vid more than once (per account)…
I hate that YouTube removed dislike counters. As a content creator, the way I see if people do not like what I made on a video is the dislikes. Now I have to look on YouTube studio for information on the dislikes. YouTube needs to realize this update was terrible, and only the bad YouTubers are liking it, because they can post and ignore the dislikes.
Dislike stats are very cacheable (nobody will care if dislike stats update in 5 minutes, but not immediately), so shouldn't be an issue. And it's always possible to migrate.
This is a great idea, i downloaded this and shared it to all my mates, i find the idea of seeing dislikes on basis of the extention when the possibility to get it from youtubes code a very good idea aswell.
Good! We need to spread a message to actual problematic Youtube channels! Stuff like fake animal rescue videos, family vlogging like LaBrant family who only had kids just to exploit them, creepy Gacha life and all the other assholes who gain so much and the actual creative people get nothing. Abuse should not be monetized
Well, adblock and SponsorBlock exist, and even are available in official store. This thing is so much smaller. If anything - google would target adblocks, because they are much worse for business.
I am a developer who uses YouTube apis and on the day they announced removal of dislikes, I received a mail saying that their api will remove 'dislikes' property for all videos in the future, asking developers to accommodate the change before going live.
Yeah, it will be removed on December 13th. I'll try to scrape as much data as possible until then. After that - total dislikes will be estimated using extension-users as a sample.
On the technical side, do they have to remove the property? Can they set the value always to be something like 0 so that existing code can still run without any change?
I think they mentioned developers can make an exemption request to have the dislike info, as long as they don’t publish it publicly. I’m sure there’s a loophole around this.
honestly I was thinking of creating something like this at some point, like adding comments to videos where comments are disabled
There used to be extensions for adding comments to any URL, but ultimately they all have the same problems: split audience, not enough commenters, too much spam, too much moderation, and not enough monetization to keep it working.
I liked the one where it found all Reddit posts for YouTube, and showed those comments instead of YT's.
There's an extension you can get that puts the reddit comments from any posts linked to that video on youtube. Yewtu.be does that too.
That is what Gab was doing to every site. Which is nice idea but sadly was associated with being right wing = bad. So was pretty much banned from every browser store.
It sounds like reinventing the "reddit frame" (or what wqs the original name) that showed the site at one part of page and top comments on other.
If you don't have chrome store approval then it should at least be open source, which I don't see any links to. Comes across as shady to me
Good point. I applied for approval, but it takes some time. The code is un-obfuscated so you can look in the sources of the extension if you want to. Didn't wan't to publish code to github just yet - because it's embarrassingly shitty.
I mean all code is visible in chrome dev console
UPDATE: Firefox verion released, v0.0.0.2 version released for chrome
Have you thought of adding a service component, where users can sign their channel up for dislike scraping, essentially voluntarily publishing their dislike counts? This could also have the effect where videos of creators that do decide to publish their dislikes look more trustworthy than those with a hidden count, kind of how it is already.
Yep, I had a similar idea. Could be implemented once Google closes their API
It seems like an alternative is leaving a YouTube comment “Dislike” and then people upvote that comment. I wonder if you could leverage that strategy in addition? Instead of just storing the dislikes in an API that requires an extension.
The problem with that is that uploaders can delete comments. Comments with body "dislike" are not a good way to preserve this information.
I wonder if this could get merged into SponsorBlock. Just a single database of extra crowdsourced metadata about videos, including dislikes, and not just unwanted video segments. It'd probably be the quickest way to get this on iOS since iSponsorBlock would add it.
SponsorBlock should rebrand itself as Youtube Enhancement Suite and incorporate all good extensions.
Doesn't work. The extension calls to return-youtube-dislike-api.azurewebsites.net with the video ID of the youtube video you are watching which has some black box caching going on but it can't pull dislikes from a video that never had those statistics public. Additionally the api also doesn't update the ticket once the video tranitions from public to private stats.
Thanks, will handle this case. The extension works only for "happy scenario" right now (i.e. cases for which youtube API returns a valid dislike count).
Cases like this can't be handled properly until the extension userbase is big enough to be a representative sample. Once we have a userbase, though, like\dislike ratio can be derived from this sample. But I've spent only one weekend on this project (and most of time was wasted on domain certificates and other annoying stuff that I've never done before). So, I'm happy that, at least, it works in a "normal" scenario.
Here's an idea, we make a chrome extension to generically 'dislike' any webpage.
Stop doing chrome extensions people... We don't need Chrome monopoly on the web.
FIrefox version released as well. Can't update title (new to reddit). Can I pin a comment on top or something?
Just use ungoogled chromium...
I'm still seeing the dislikes in my country. Region specific?
No, I believe they said they were rolling it out gradually until some time in December.
Problem with this extension is is that it seems to rely on dislike counts actually being reported on in the HTML (or JSON in the future). However, I coded a script that calculates dislikes with plain math and is 100% accurate on tons of videos. This script will continue to work even after dislike counts are fully removed from YouTube's API response. (link if you want
Good one. This is one of the routes planned for my extension as well (if no data will be available)
Mozilla accepted the extension to the store:
this is amazing work.!
You should start writing your application to keep the dislike data in your API feed, as mentioned in their blogpost.
Yep, that code already exists, just commented out.
Why is it such a big deal ?
I wonder if someone could make an external dislike count service and add an extension to add the button in and retrieve the dislike count. Big problem I see is the cost of keeping a service running that has to aggregate that many account + video counts, because you can’t allow people to dislike one vid more than once (per account)…
Well, what you described - is the idea behind this extension. It already relies on a data from "external dislike count service"
Verrrrrrrrrrrrry nice mister.
Neat! You can also use Emojit to share your dislike (or like) of webpages so it would work on YouTube videos too
Will this be a time for a new competitive platform to arise? Removing dislike button is a travesty against the free speech.
I was 3 seconds away from asking if this was possible. Posted a question on
Can you explain this point in the email Google sent? Does this mean you can apply and still potentially have access to all dislikes after December?
The dev will most likely get rejected because it states that this exception is only for "devs who do not display dislike counts publicly".
also work in yandex browser. thanks man
We shouldn’t need that, that’s like how Chinese need to use VPN for internet
When will you upload the firefox version to AMO?
Done, awaiting approval.
It works well on Firefox. Thanks!
Thanks to you.
UPDATE: UserScript released, site updated with link to UserScript.
well that was fast!
Thank God for people like you.
G'bless you sir!
Thank a lot for that! My dislike are still showing but this will be good to have :)
is there one for Opera GX?
thank you for doing this 0.0.7 works perfectly
Youve done a Gods work. Cheers.
I hate that YouTube removed dislike counters. As a content creator, the way I see if people do not like what I made on a video is the dislikes. Now I have to look on YouTube studio for information on the dislikes. YouTube needs to realize this update was terrible, and only the bad YouTubers are liking it, because they can post and ignore the dislikes.
Had the same idea, but having up-to-date metrics is pretty difficult to achieve as you can't rely on YT API anymore.
Is it limited to USA? Im EU and on all devices and accounts dislikes exist
Rolling out gradually worldwide afaik. I'm German, no dislikes anymore. Some US friends still have em, some don't
Hope that an Opera GX version comes out soon ^w^
How many dislikes for Brandon?
You know what would be really cool? A 5 star system on a YouTube video...
Glad someone made this!
[удалено]
Youtube has a crazy infrastructure. Servers in almost every ISP server room around the world. Even in third-world countries.
I highly recommend using
Wouldn't the surge of api requests on azure be too expensive for you?
Dislike stats are very cacheable (nobody will care if dislike stats update in 5 minutes, but not immediately), so shouldn't be an issue. And it's always possible to migrate.
Can you publish it? Or is it just that you get the dislike counter from the youtube api
It's in the process of publishing.
Will it be possible to take Youtube's Like/Dislike data from their API and store that data in your extension?
That is the idea behind this extension. It's how it's done right now.
Does not work. Just writes 0 dislikes
Which video, which browser, which OS?
Can work on Android?
If youtube vanced team decide to use our api - sure.
Plz make this for Microsoft edge too. Please
youtube is removing its dislike API from 13 December.. so is this going to stop working since then?
We plan for extension to continue working on its own data.
This is a great idea, i downloaded this and shared it to all my mates, i find the idea of seeing dislikes on basis of the extention when the possibility to get it from youtubes code a very good idea aswell.
Freedom 1 / Youtube Tyranny 0
Man, you are doing important work there. I have installed the extension to support.
supports Opera GX when
I appreciate this extension dev good work!
Thank you!!
will this come as an opera add-on soon?
Good! We need to spread a message to actual problematic Youtube channels! Stuff like fake animal rescue videos, family vlogging like LaBrant family who only had kids just to exploit them, creepy Gacha life and all the other assholes who gain so much and the actual creative people get nothing. Abuse should not be monetized
how to do it on opera gx?
Awesome work. just installed it under opera! Works instantly. Much love!
Thank you very much!
Thank you!!
CHROME says:- This item has been DISABLED in chrome... Look likes GOOGLE hate it.... 🤔
This will die with more interest. To make it useful u need massive data input you probably can't handle.
This point isn't invalid - for accurate predictions I need a massive userbase. Handling it - well, I have a few ideas.
You will get sued
Well, adblock and SponsorBlock exist, and even are available in official store. This thing is so much smaller. If anything - google would target adblocks, because they are much worse for business.
I have never used the "dislike" stat for anything and I have never heard it even discussed as a serious metric before the proposed removal.
It was most useful for me when I look for a good tutorial. And if it's extremely downvoted - you see immediately and you don't waste time.
Good job making sure that hate raids can still happen...