The video platform YouTube summarizes the major events in the Best-of-Video Rewind every year. In 2018, people apparently hated “Rewind” – it has received 4 million thumbs down so far. This makes it the second most hated video on the platform. Rewind 2018 apparently featured too much Fortnite.
Here’s what Rewind is about: The video “Rewind” is a kind of “Best-off” video from YouTube every year. Since 2010, the platform has summarized the highlights of a year in a clip.
Various content creators appear, celebrating what made them famous that year: Typical YouTube phenomena like the “Ice Bucket Challenge” or the dance “Gangnam Style” can be found in the Rewinds of each respective year.
Rank 2 for the most thumbs down – just after 2 days
This is how the video is doing this year: Rewind 2018 was released on December 6th. It has now over 48 million views but also 4 million dislikes.
Thus it has more dislikes than the trailer for Call of Duty Infinite Warfare, but it is still far from the most hated video on YouTube. That was Justin Bieber’s music video “Baby.” It has 9 million dislikes.
Here’s why people hate the video: The problem seems to be that YouTube users feel they are not represented by the video.
Below the video, there are comments saying: “If YouTube were like this, I would never watch it.”
Another much-noticed comment says: “The video shows that YouTube is drifting away more from its content creators every year.”
How much Fortnite appears in the video? Fortnite is heavily featured in the video. The opening sequence includes various YouTubers jumping out of a Battle Bus. Top streamer Ninja is the bus driver, asking for silence and complaining, that no one ever thanks him.
Additionally, the video features numerous references to online shooters – especially the dances from Fortnite are highly represented.
YouTube sweeps controversial streamers under the rug
This is what lies behind the many negative reactions: The video mainly showcases the “advertiser-friendly faces” of YouTube and ignores the many controversial streamers and figures that also characterize YouTube.
These controversial streamers, however, have the most fans, generate the most views, and make the most headlines.
So there is a lot of Fortnite in the video and many other YouTubers who avoid controversies.
Additionally, celebrities are shown who are known from other contexts and who are not “homegrown” from YouTube like Hollywood star Will Smith or comedian John Oliver.
But many controversial YouTubers like PewDiePie, Logan Paul, and the many controversies and scandals surrounding these types of YouTubers are missing. Even if they may seem silly, like the race between PewDiePie and T-Series for the channel with the most subscribers – they are, for many fans, the real core of YouTube.
As the US site “The Verge” notes, the Rewind video is probably made more for the advertising industry and presents the friendly side of YouTube, where advertisers like to place their ads.
The video, however, ignores things that actually define YouTube, such as a boxing fight that millions tune into. This controversial side is what YouTube tries to sweep under the rug in Rewind.
Apparently, this is not well-received.
