YouTube is said to be experimenting with a new homepage that omits view count and upload date details. Following this news, many users voiced their concerns regarding this potential change. While some welcomed the removal of the view count alongside the thumbnails, a majority argued that eliminating the upload date would be a significant drawback, particularly for timely content. YouTube has not explicitly denied these reports but mentioned that they may look into the situation if necessary, mentioning the possibility of third-party browser extensions influencing the display.
As indicated by a post on X from a user named vidIQ, YouTube is trialing a homepage design that features videos without any view count or upload date. The only visible elements for videos on this new layout are the channel name and title along with the thumbnail image.
In the discussion below the X post, numerous users stated that the proposed change regarding view counts probably would not affect their viewing behavior, with some suggesting it could even benefit emerging content creators on the platform, as audiences may shy away from videos with fewer views.
Most frustrations centered around the prospective removal of upload date information. If this change takes place, many users feel it could disrupt their content consumption on YouTube, as the context of any subject can evolve over time. This shift is likely to hit political discussions and current affairs content the hardest.
The video streaming service owned by Alphabet has addressed these allegations. While the company has yet to directly deny that a new homepage without these features is under testing, they clarified in an X post that certain users might not see the view count or upload date on their homepage due to enabled browser extensions.
YouTube further stated that if users do not see this information on their homepage even with no external browser extensions affecting it, they should submit a report. The platform will then look into the issue.