YouTube update introduces new autoplay function, but it might be short-lived

Video streaming platform YouTube released a new version (14.31.50) last week for its Android users with new features aimed at YouTube Gaming. However, there's one major UI update in the main app that changes the way you choose the next song in queue.

The latest stable build of the app comes with a revamped 'Up Next' UI. For the last four years, the autoplay (or 'Up Next') screen, that appears at the end of a video, showed a circular indicator that allowed users to play the next video in the queue. Previously, the app gave users eight seconds in a circular indicator to decide on a YouTube recommendation or a song of their own choice by cancelling the countdown. The next video's title displayed on the top left corner with the thumbnail of it in the background.

The new interface replaces the circle with two buttons — 'Cancel' and 'Play Now'. The thumbnail of the succeeding video is now smaller is placed centrally on the left while the title of the video is placed on the right followed by the name of the channel. And YouTube, being YouTube, has also placed an 'X' button on the top right corner and it serves the same purpose as 'Cancel'.

However, this change might be short-lived, as Snapchat, Facebook and even YouTube might come under fire from a new US bill that targets social media addiction. Named the Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology (SMART) Act, the bill was proposed by Republican Senator Josh Hawley who argues the companies behind such apps are using psychological tricks to keep users hooked.

According to The Guardian, the Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology (Smart) Act is a proposed bill that curbs techniques and features which encourage and deepen addictive behaviours.

It specifically seeks to prohibit practices including infinite scrolling as seen on Facebook newsfeed, autoplay videos such as those on YouTube, and badges or awards linked to engagement such as Snapstreaks.

The Verge last month reported deceptive design played an enormous part in the FTC settlement with Facebook, and Hawley’s bill would make it unlawful for tech companies to use dark patterns to manipulate users into opting into services.

“If I take the bottom out of this glass and I keep refilling the water or the wine, you won’t know when to stop drinking,” The Verge quoted Tristan Harris, a former Google design ethicist.

“That’s what happens with infinitely scrolling feeds,” he said at a panel of experts on persuasive tech in June.

With inputs from ANI.