Demanding an option to disable YouTube short-form videos
The Issue
The internet once promised a world of endless learning, entertainment, and connection through deep, meaningful content. Platforms like YouTube became treasured havens for long-form storytelling, educational deep dives, and thoughtful discussions. However, this landscape is rapidly degrading as platforms, including YouTube, prioritize short-term profits over the quality of our digital experiences.
Overnight, it feels as though YouTube has transformed into a bombardment of 30-second, hyper-stimulating vertical videos, often poorly curated or algorithmically chosen, with the sole purpose of maximizing corporate advertising revenues. These short-form videos are replacing the rich content I once loved, threatening our ability to focus and eroding the joy of slowly uncovering a well-crafted narrative.
For users like me, who value our mental health and strive to foster a balanced digital environment, the relentless push of these short-form videos is intrusive and overwhelming. Many of us have spent years curating our video libraries focused on long-form content, only to be interrupted every time we attempt to engage with the platform. Our attention spans are invaluable, and we deserve the right to choose how we consume content.
Long-form creators also suffer under this model, as their efforts to share substantial insights or evoke thought through detailed storytelling become overshadowed by the trend of quick glimpses and instant gratification. The diversity and richness of content we cherish are at risk.
Therefore, I am calling on YouTube to provide an official option allowing users to completely disable short-form videos. This choice respects user autonomy and aligns with responsible digital consumption practices.
Join me in fighting for a more thoughtful, less distractive media environment where quality and depth are prioritized over fleeting entertainment. Your signature will advocate for user empowerment and support the long-form creators striving to enrich our world with valuable, lasting content.
Sign this petition to demand change and reclaim the Youtube we once loved.
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The Issue
The internet once promised a world of endless learning, entertainment, and connection through deep, meaningful content. Platforms like YouTube became treasured havens for long-form storytelling, educational deep dives, and thoughtful discussions. However, this landscape is rapidly degrading as platforms, including YouTube, prioritize short-term profits over the quality of our digital experiences.
Overnight, it feels as though YouTube has transformed into a bombardment of 30-second, hyper-stimulating vertical videos, often poorly curated or algorithmically chosen, with the sole purpose of maximizing corporate advertising revenues. These short-form videos are replacing the rich content I once loved, threatening our ability to focus and eroding the joy of slowly uncovering a well-crafted narrative.
For users like me, who value our mental health and strive to foster a balanced digital environment, the relentless push of these short-form videos is intrusive and overwhelming. Many of us have spent years curating our video libraries focused on long-form content, only to be interrupted every time we attempt to engage with the platform. Our attention spans are invaluable, and we deserve the right to choose how we consume content.
Long-form creators also suffer under this model, as their efforts to share substantial insights or evoke thought through detailed storytelling become overshadowed by the trend of quick glimpses and instant gratification. The diversity and richness of content we cherish are at risk.
Therefore, I am calling on YouTube to provide an official option allowing users to completely disable short-form videos. This choice respects user autonomy and aligns with responsible digital consumption practices.
Join me in fighting for a more thoughtful, less distractive media environment where quality and depth are prioritized over fleeting entertainment. Your signature will advocate for user empowerment and support the long-form creators striving to enrich our world with valuable, lasting content.
Sign this petition to demand change and reclaim the Youtube we once loved.
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Petition created on 6 September 2026