YouTube tests hiding comments by default

YouTube is testing out a new change that hides one of its most controversial aspects — the comments section. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy online than the comments section of any YouTube video that elicits a passionate response from fans and/or users alike.

The firm is rolling out a test to its Android app that forces users to deliberately choose to open the comments section in order to engage. This will open a new window and navigates the users away from the video.

YouTube shared the following statement:

We’re always experimenting with ways to help people more easily find, watch, share and interact with the videos that matter most to them. 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.

YouTube comments aren’t going away obviously, they’re just being deprioritised over video content. For users who’d prefer to enjoy videos without being subjected to what can sometimes be an obnoxious userbase, this is a relief.

Source: Engadget