YouTube copies Netflix's old 'Play Something' button in new test

YouTube tests 'Play Something', adapting a retired Netflix feature to engage Shorts viewers with random video selections.

: YouTube is experimenting with a new 'Play Something' button that is inspired by a previous Netflix feature of the same name. The button randomly plays a video based on the user's prior viewing preferences, and it starts playing content in the Shorts player. Videos can include regular content displayed in a vertical format with black bars. This feature could enhance viewer engagement on YouTube, particularly within the Shorts platform.

YouTube is exploring a new feature called 'Play Something', which is derived from a similar framework formerly utilized by Netflix. Reported by 9to5Google, this feature randomly selects a video, likely influenced by a user's viewing history, to play in the Shorts player. However, this is not restricted to Shorts as it reflects typical videos in a vertical format accompanied by black bars above and below the image.

This experimental feature introduces interactive elements similar to Shorts, with options like, dislike, and share present to the right side of the video. Intriguingly, launching a button-initiated video automatically closes the interface upon opening a Shorts video, streamlining the process into a seamless flow of content consumption. This strategic implementation aims to bolster viewer retention on YouTube, with a significant inclination toward its Shorts division.

Despite its similarities to Netflix's 'Play Something', which was later rebranded to 'Surprise Me' and discontinued owing to underuse, YouTube's adaptation hopes to achieve sustained engagement. The integration of this mechanism reflects YouTube's continual efforts to rejuvenate user interaction on its platforms. Successfully tailoring randomly generated content to users' tastes might mark a decisive evolution in maintaining and expanding its audience share.

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