What is it about?

Have you ever clicked "Dislike" or "Not Interested" on a YouTube video, only to see similar videos pop up again? This study tested whether those buttons actually do what they are supposed to do. With the help of over 20,000 volunteers using a custom browser extension, researchers tracked what happened after users tried to block unwanted video recommendations. They found that these buttons are mostly ignored by YouTube's algorithm. For example, clicking "Not Interested" or "Dislike" only stops about 11% to 12% of similar unwanted videos. Even the strongest option—telling YouTube "Don't Recommend Channel"—still lets more than half of the unwanted content through. In short, the study proves that users are not truly in charge of what YouTube decides to show them next.

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Why is it important?

Millions of people use YouTube every day, and its algorithm plays a huge role in deciding what information we consume. When a platform pushes unwanted, annoying, or even harmful videos, you should have a clear and easy way to say "stop." This research is important because it proves that the feedback tools YouTube provides give users a false sense of control. By showing that these buttons barely work, the study puts pressure on big tech companies to be transparent and to give people real, working tools to shape their own online experiences.

Perspectives

This paper represents an early step in my work on the social impact of digital technology and algorithms – a topic that we all have the right to have a voice on. If you'd like to learn more about this topic so you can participate in the conversation, I invite you to read my Substack at https://oursharedaifuture.substack.com/

Jesse McCrosky
Egen AI

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Does This Button Work? Investigating YouTube's Ineffective User Controls, April 2026, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3774904.3792183.
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