YouTube’s 2018-in-review video is the 2nd-most disliked YouTube video ever
YouTube’s 2018 Rewind video may have amassed more than 100 million views, but that doesn’t mean people actually like it. On Thursday, December 6th, YouTube Spotlight uploaded a video called “YouTube Rewind 2018: Everyone Controls Rewind,” an eight-minute look back at the YouTubers, videos, and moments that shaped 2018. And as of December 11th, the video has racked up more than 8 million dislikes, cementing it as the second-most disliked video on the platform ever, second only to the music video for Justin Bieber’s “Baby” (which has nearly 10 million dislikes).
Maybe you’re thinking these results are indicative of the video’s quality, or perhaps of how people felt about 2018 in general (like they’re giving the year a big thumbs down). However, the dislikes are actually rolling in because fans are protesting the fact that three controversial YouTubers weren’t featured: PewDiePie, Logan Paul, and Shane Dawson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJOTdZBX1g?feature=oembed
In case you’re not up on the intricacies of YouTube culture, PewDiePie is a gamer who has been known to use racist and homophobic slurs in his videos. Meanwhile, Logan Paul stirred major controversy by posting an insensitive (and actually deplorable) video of a suicide victim in Japan’s “suicide forest.” Finally, Shane Dawson received backlash for making jokes about pedophilia.
On Friday, December 7th, PewDiePie uploaded a reaction to the Rewind video, saying,”I remember Rewind was something that was a homage to the creators that year. It was something cool to be part of. Now I’m almost glad I’m not in it, because it’s such a cringey video at this point.”
In our opinion, YouTube had every right to exclude these content creators from their year-in-review. Hopefully the platform doesn’t take the absurd number of “dislikes” to heart.
