YouTube is testing a new feed format similar to TikTok that could irreversibly transform the platform.

In recent months, a new trend has emerged among some YouTube users who use their phones: they are seeking a TikTok-like experience with an endless stream of videos. This isn’t about Shorts, but rather long-form videos, which YouTube refers to as “longform.” By swiping up, instead of returning to the homepage, another video would start playing. This experiment has been active since August and is part of a series of tests that YouTube continuously conducts to innovate how users discover content.

According to a post on a forum describing the test, for those participants in the experiment, these new discovery experiences could include a mix of video formats, allowing long-form videos to appear where Shorts would typically be found. A YouTube spokesperson, Allison Toh, noted that they are conducting this experiment with a limited group of Android users to explore new ways of discovering vertical or fullscreen videos.

However, many of these tests often end up not being implemented, and it could be the case that this trial is no exception. Nevertheless, the existence of these tests suggests a shift in direction that the platform may be taking. YouTube is actively seeking to improve its discovery feature, making it easier for users to find interesting content and helping new creators expand their audience in a competitive environment. This has led to the introduction of new features like Hype and television-oriented elements, but it has been argued that none of these features could fundamentally alter the YouTube experience as much as infinite scrolling could.

The difference between opening YouTube compared to TikTok is quite noticeable. On YouTube, you are presented with a screen full of titles and thumbnails, where the user must choose what to watch. In contrast, on TikTok, a video starts playing immediately. If users like the video, they simply let it play; if not, they swipe up for another video to start. This form of interaction is extremely efficient, as it shows that any content is preferable to showing nothing. TikTok's algorithm learns from these actions and quickly adjusts to the user's preferences.

On the other hand, YouTube's functionality can be more complicated for creators, who must focus on increasing their subscribers, which is crucial for building communities and for the algorithm to recognize their content as popular. Many users do not navigate through channels or the subscriptions section; instead, they primarily discover videos through the homepage, recommendations, and search results.

This context has led creators to emphasize the importance of thumbnails. For example, Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has spoken about his obsession with thumbnails and how his team generates numerous options for each video. Cléo Abram, for her part, has shared her experience collaborating with thumbnail designers and how she has had to develop confidence to avoid overpromising in these images. In fact, there is a whole industry around creating eye-catching thumbnails, and many creators plan their thumbnails before focusing on the actual content of their videos.

This need to eliminate distractions could be appealing to YouTube, leading the company to use artificial intelligence to help creators generate backgrounds, respond to comments, and even come up with content ideas. The logic behind this is that if creators rid themselves of secondary concerns and focus solely on producing quality content, everyone would benefit.

However, it is important to consider that all these changes, especially this new test of endless scrolling, have a common denominator: they take control away from creators and give it to the algorithm. Although the current dynamics of YouTube present certain opportunities for creators, an endless feed could undermine those possibilities and limit interaction in favor of algorithmically configured content.

It is already apparent that many creators struggle to balance producing videos they want to make with those they know will bring them more views according to what the algorithm promotes. In an endless scrolling YouTube, this balance could disappear, reducing the focus to pleasing algorithmic demands. Over the years, this has led to undesirable phenomena, where the algorithm’s focus is not on finding quality videos but simply maximizing watch time.

YouTube may inevitably be heading this way as users rely less on following creators and channels and more on consuming what is presented to them on the homepage. However, it would be disappointing to see YouTube, still considered the most creator-friendly platform, abandon its essence in favor of an automated feed. In a constant scrolling context, videos could become shorter and more dynamic, almost like a longer version of TikTok. YouTube's transformation could become a mere replica of TikTok, which would dilute its unique identity.