YouTube has improved the system it has in place that validates likes and dislikes. As a result, the total numbers are now more accurate.

This information was announced by a representative from YouTube on the YouTube Help Forum. “YT Lukas” says the platform’s validation system will ensure that likes and dislikes are coming from real people, rather than bots or computer programs.

“Starting today, we’re making a system update to catch even more spam in likes and dislikes across YouTube. The main reason a like would be marked as spam is when it’s purchased from a third-party service. Paying for likes or dislikes is a direct violation of YouTube’s Terms of Service.”

This update will also apply to likes and dislikes that have been given to a video prior to today.

That means likes and dislikes may fluctuate if a significant number are found to be invalid.

“If more likes or dislikes on your channel are marked as invalid than before, you may see fluctuations starting on June 14, 2018… You may also notice that the number of likes or dislikes in YouTube Analytics is different than what you see on the watch page under the video. This is a known issue and our team is working to fix it. In the meantime, view the counts on the watch page for the most accurate number.”

The number of likes and dislikes on a YouTube video is an important signal for creators, as it is a factor that determines what shows up in search results and the recommended videos section.

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With that said, this announcement should come as good news to creators, especially those who may have received an unfair amount of dislikes from detractors.