The tiny tweak that could change YouTube forever

Nov 14, 2024

YouTube is testing an endless video feed, similar to TikTok, changing content discovery.

The tiny tweak that could change YouTube forever

: YouTube is experimenting with an endless scroll feature, allowing users to swipe to new videos, similar to TikTok's interface. This feature, tested with Android users since August, could shift how users discover content by reducing the role of thumbnails and channel subscriptions. While it's uncertain if this will be implemented, the change emphasizes algorithm control over creator content. Such a shift might make YouTube less creator-friendly, resembling TikTok with longer videos.

YouTube is trialing a feature that mimics TikTok's endless scrolling, where users can effortlessly swipe through full-length videos. This test, initiated in August among a limited group of Android users, could drastically alter content discovery by diminishing the significance of thumbnails and channel subscriptions.

David Pierce notes the implications of such a feature, emphasizing that it hands greater control to YouTube's algorithm and reduces the autonomy creators currently have. As creators strive for visibility, moving to an endless feed format may intensify pressures to please the algorithm rather than their audience.

Despite YouTube's reputation as a creator-centric platform, this feature could lead to a TikTok-like experience, potentially compromising community-building aspects. Such transformations might render YouTube closer to TikTok, possibly with shorter, more dynamic content, reflecting algorithm-driven user engagement.