The largest video-streaming platform in the world, YouTube, launched Rewind 2019 last Thursday, December 5, 2019. Following its release to the public, users of the program took to social media to air their dissatisfaction at the new video format.
Rewind 2019 is the platform’s newest video format for the year. This particular approach highlights the biggest and best trends on the channel. Content creators who made the list also found their way in the video.
Changes in YouTube year-ender review of sorts comes as the platform became subject of public humiliation last 2018. According to Business Insider, the platform garnered public scrutiny after featuring controversial creators and topics. As a result, the Rewind 2018 show has now been touted as one of the most-downvoted videos on the platform.
The outroar caused by the 2018 rendition, which incurred 16 million dislikes or downvotes, prompted the chief executive officer of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, to issue a statement, notes The Verge.
From the various statements issued by users, it appears most are still disappointed with this year’s content. Most of the outcry comes from the inclusion of controversial influencers and content creators such as PewDiePie’s return. PewDiePie, also known as Felix Kjellberg, was noticeably absent from 2017 and 2018’s videos following his racist and often violent content.
PewDiePie’s creations allowed him to snag YouTube’s most-watched creators of all time. Variety reveals other categories included in the Rewind 2019 content. These are 2019’s most-liked video, most-liked video in the beauty, dance, music categories.
Minecraft and Fortnite also make it as the most-viewed video games for the year. The top breakout creators category is also included for Rewind 2019.
Deviating from the narration-based storyline employed in the previous years, the video format for 2019 features a slightly different approach. Rewind 2019 reportedly makes use of YouTube clips collected based on the most-watched content creators and videos. Culture and trends team head Kevin Allocca also said that they factored in the most-searched trends in the list, reveals The Verge.
Alloca said, “trying to create something that’s accurate to the super fans, to the people who really care about this – the ones that come for Rewind every year that want to discuss it, get frustrated by it, want to post it – is the priority.”
In attempts to maintain objectivity, YouTube has supposedly relied on data and analytics for this year’s video format.
Despite using data obtained by individuals still criticized the upload from the platform. Users say this highlights reel is ‘lazy’ and ‘boring,’ largely out-of-touch with the demands of the times.
