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what even is the point to thumbs down in youtube to comments

What Even Is the Point of Thumbs Down on YouTube Comments?

This is one of those oddly confusing features that a lot of people notice but don’t fully understand.

The Short Answer

The thumbs down on YouTube comments does not publicly affect anything visible —you don’t see a dislike count like you do with videos. But it still does something behind the scenes.

What It Actually Does

Here’s how it works in practice:

  • Private feedback to YouTube’s algorithm
    Disliking a comment tells YouTube: “This comment isn’t helpful, relevant, or appropriate.”

  • Affects comment ranking
    Comments with more dislikes are less likely to be promoted or shown near the top , especially under “Top comments.”

  • Helps moderation signals
    Combined with reports and other signals, dislikes can contribute to identifying spam, low-quality, or harmful comments.

What It Does NOT Do

This is where most confusion comes from:

  • You cannot see the dislike count on comments.
  • It does not notify the commenter.
  • It does not directly delete or punish the comment.
  • It does not function like Reddit downvotes where visibility changes dramatically in a clear way.

Why YouTube Designed It This Way

There are a few likely reasons (based on platform trends and design choices):

1. Reduce harassment and pile-ons

Public dislike counts can encourage dogpiling. Hiding them avoids turning comments into popularity contests.

2. Keep feedback subtle but useful

YouTube still wants signals about comment quality—just without making it a visible battleground.

3. Align with broader platform changes

Remember when YouTube removed public dislike counts on videos (2021)? This fits the same philosophy:

  • Less visible negativity
  • More algorithm-driven moderation

Different Perspectives (From Forum Discussions)

“It’s useless, it doesn’t do anything.”

Partially true—it doesn’t visibly do anything, which makes it feel pointless.

“It’s just for the algorithm.”

This is the most accurate take. It’s a quiet signal, not a public reaction.

“It should show counts like Reddit.”

That’s a common suggestion, but YouTube seems intentionally avoiding that style to reduce toxicity.

A Simple Example

Imagine a comment section with 1,000 comments:

  • A comment gets 100 likes and 200 dislikes
  • You won’t see those dislikes
  • But YouTube may:
    • Rank it lower
    • Stop recommending it in “Top comments”
    • Show other comments instead

So the effect is real—but hidden.

Why It Feels Pointless

  • No visible feedback loop
  • No immediate impact
  • No transparency

So users assume it does nothing, even though it’s quietly shaping what others see.

Bottom Line

The thumbs down button on YouTube comments is basically a silent moderation tool. It doesn’t publicly shame or visibly score comments, but it helps YouTube decide which comments deserve attention—and which should fade into the background. Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.