YouTube is testing a new UI design that moves the video title, description, and comments to a right side panel, with video recommendations appearing below the video player. While this setup allows users to view comments without scrolling away from the video, it has received overwhelmingly negative feedback for being busy and aesthetically unpleasing. YouTube has confirmed that it's an experiment to improve features and experiences, and is seeking user feedback to determine if, when, and how to release the feature.
YouTube has stopped showing recommended videos to users who are logged out of a Google account or using Incognito mode, prompting concerns about user privacy and the push to always be signed in. The change results in a blank YouTube homepage with a message prompting users to start watching videos to build a feed they'll love, even when searching for content. Some users believe this is an attempt to push them into turning on their history settings, while Google has not yet provided further details about the update.
YouTube is introducing a new "For You" section on individual channels that will recommend videos to viewers based on their watch history. The feature, set to launch on November 20, aims to provide a tailored experience for users and focuses on individual creators rather than the platform as a whole. Creators can already access settings for the section, allowing them to choose the types and timeline of content to be shown. This feature has been in testing and is similar to what users see on TikTok.
YouTube is testing a new chatbot feature that provides information, answers questions, and recommends related content for select videos. The AI tool is part of Google's broader push to integrate AI across its services. YouTube is also experimenting with an AI-powered comment categorization feature to organize comments into topics. Both features are currently available as limited experiments and are accessible to Premium subscribers in the US over the age of 18. YouTube acknowledges that the AI tools may not always be accurate and is cautious about potential issues with comment moderation.
Meta has introduced new personalization controls for Facebook Reels, allowing users to customize their recommendations. Users can now select "Show More" or "Show Less" on Reels to temporarily increase or decrease their ranking score. Facebook is also adding labels to the Reels video player to explain why a certain Reel is being shown. Additionally, Reels will now be included in the main navigation at the top of Facebook Watch, and users can scroll between Reels and long-form videos. Meta has previously stated that Reels is its fastest-growing format and continues to grow quickly.
TikTok has rolled out a new "refresh" option to all users, allowing them to reset their For You feed and get rid of video recommendations that are no longer relevant. The app has also updated its efforts to reduce repetitive patterns of content that could be harmful. These updates are part of TikTok's efforts to improve its algorithm and give users more control over the content they see.
