return-youtube-dislike

Return YouTube Dislike is a browser extension that brings back the dislike count on YouTube videos. In November 2021, Google announced it would hide the dislike count from viewers, and in December 2021 it also removed the dislike count from the YouTube API entirely. This extension was built to restore that information for people who want to gauge video quality before watching.

The extension is available for Chrome and Firefox. A JavaScript userscript version works for other browsers. Once installed, it shows a dislike count next to the like count on YouTube videos, similar to how YouTube displayed it before the change.

Because YouTube no longer provides actual dislike counts through its API, the extension relies on a combination of previously archived data and estimates based on aggregated data from extension users. The counts shown are approximations rather than exact figures, particularly for older videos where less historical data is available.

The project also exposes a public API that third-party developers can use to retrieve like and dislike data for any YouTube video by video ID. The API returns a JSON object with the like count, estimated dislike count, view count, and a rating value. Usage is rate-limited to 100 requests per minute and 10,000 per day. Attribution to the project is required for any third-party use.

The README is available in over 20 languages. The project is open source under the GPLv3 license and accepts contributions, with a contribution guide in the repository. Donations are accepted to help cover operating costs.