• Los Angeles Times , Thursday, February 5, 2009 11:32 AM

YouTube has quietly changed the default filter on its homepage from "Most Viewed" to something called "Popular." What, exactly, does the change mean, asks the Los Angeles Times' David Sarno?

"Most viewed" is still around, but it's been moved to the margins, having lost its default status. "Popular," meanwhile, has rather mysteriously take its place, as nowhere does YouTube define "Popular" or explain the reason behind the change. One thing we do know: it doesn't mean the most viewed videos. In December, after YouTube introduced a "Most Popular" tab, a YouTube spokesperson vaguely explained that, "Most Popular incorporates more signals about video related to freshness and activity beyond just a view count." But the Google video site did not specify what those signals are.

YouTube already has a variety filters for "Most Comments", "Highest Rating", and "Most Favorited", among others. As for the new "Popular" tab, we may never know what it means.

Read the whole story at Los Angeles Times »