diff --git a/backend/database.py b/backend/database.py
index 1024ad0..f7e3e5f 100644
--- a/backend/database.py
+++ b/backend/database.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def init_db():
         # Column migrations — safe to run on every startup
         _add_column_if_missing(raw_conn, "videos", "view_count", "INTEGER")
         _add_column_if_missing(raw_conn, "videos", "like_count", "INTEGER")
+        _add_column_if_missing(raw_conn, "videos", "dislike_count", "INTEGER")
         raw_conn.commit()
         # executescript handles multi-statement SQL including trigger BEGIN...END blocks
         raw_conn.executescript(FTS_SETUP_SQL)
diff --git a/backend/models.py b/backend/models.py
index b7aa343..cc995af 100644
--- a/backend/models.py
+++ b/backend/models.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class Video(Base):
     chapters = Column(Text)  # JSON array of {start_time, end_time, title}
     view_count = Column(Integer)
     like_count = Column(Integer)
+    dislike_count = Column(Integer)
 
 
 class UserVideo(Base):
diff --git a/backend/routers/videos.py b/backend/routers/videos.py
index cb65385..3110d6f 100644
--- a/backend/routers/videos.py
+++ b/backend/routers/videos.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ class VideoDetail(BaseModel):
     is_recommended: bool = False
     view_count: Optional[int] = None
     like_count: Optional[int] = None
+    dislike_count: Optional[int] = None
 
     model_config = {"from_attributes": True}
 
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ def surprise_me(
 
 _VIDEO_SELECT = """
     SELECT v.id, v.youtube_video_id, v.title, v.description, v.thumbnail_url,
-           v.duration_seconds, v.published_at, v.tags, v.category, v.view_count, v.like_count,
+           v.duration_seconds, v.published_at, v.tags, v.category, v.view_count, v.like_count, v.dislike_count,
            c.id AS channel_id, c.name AS channel_name, c.youtube_channel_id AS channel_youtube_id,
            COALESCE(uv.watched, 0) AS watched,
            COALESCE(uv.watch_progress_seconds, 0) AS watch_progress_seconds,
@@ -488,6 +489,12 @@ def _upsert_video_from_yt(db: Session, youtube_video_id: str) -> bool:
         if channel:
             video.channel_id = channel.id
 
+    # Fetch crowdsourced dislike count if not already known
+    if not video.dislike_count:
+        dislikes = ytdlp.fetch_dislike_count(youtube_video_id)
+        if dislikes is not None:
+            video.dislike_count = dislikes
+
     db.commit()
     return True
 
diff --git a/backend/services/ytdlp.py b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
index 1ff1585..6e4abdc 100644
--- a/backend/services/ytdlp.py
+++ b/backend/services/ytdlp.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ def _normalize_video(info: dict) -> dict:
         "chapters": json.dumps(chapters) if chapters else None,
         "view_count": info.get("view_count"),
         "like_count": info.get("like_count"),
+        "dislike_count": info.get("dislike_count"),
         "channel": {
             "youtube_channel_id": info.get("channel_id"),
             "name": info.get("channel") or info.get("uploader", ""),
@@ -385,24 +386,47 @@ def fetch_channel_links(channel_id: str) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def fetch_video_comments(youtube_video_id: str, max_comments: int = 20) -> list[dict]:
-    """Fetch top comments for a single video. Returns empty list on failure."""
-    url = f"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={youtube_video_id}"
-    args = [
-        "yt-dlp", url,
-        "--dump-json",
-        "--write-comments",
-        "--extractor-args", f"youtube:max_comments={max_comments};comment_sort=top",
-        "--no-download",
-        "--no-playlist",
-        "--quiet",
-        *_cookie_args(),
-    ]
-    stdout, _, code = _run(args, timeout=60)
-    if not stdout.strip():
-        return []
+    """Fetch top comments via yt-dlp Python API. Returns empty list on failure."""
+    import yt_dlp as _yt_dlp
+
+    with _cookies_lock:
+        cf = _cookies_file
+        b = _cookies_browser
+        oauth2 = _use_oauth2
+
+    ydl_opts = {
+        "quiet": True,
+        "no_warnings": True,
+        "skip_download": True,
+        "getcomments": True,
+        "extractor_args": {
+            "youtube": {
+                "max_comments": [str(max_comments), str(max_comments)],
+                "comment_sort": ["top"],
+            }
+        },
+    }
+    if oauth2:
+        ydl_opts["username"] = "oauth2"
+        ydl_opts["password"] = ""
+    elif cf and Path(cf).exists():
+        ydl_opts["cookiefile"] = cf
+    else:
+        for candidate in _AUTO_COOKIES_PATHS:
+            if Path(candidate).exists():
+                ydl_opts["cookiefile"] = candidate
+                break
+        else:
+            if b and not cf:
+                ydl_opts["cookiesfrombrowser"] = (b,)
+
     try:
-        info = json.loads(stdout.strip())
-    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        with _yt_dlp.YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
+            info = ydl.extract_info(f"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v={youtube_video_id}", download=False)
+    except Exception:
+        return []
+
+    if not info:
         return []
 
     result = []
@@ -410,20 +434,29 @@ def fetch_video_comments(youtube_video_id: str, max_comments: int = 20) -> list[
         if c.get("parent") not in (None, "root"):
             continue  # skip replies
         ts = c.get("timestamp")
-        published_at = datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ts) if ts else None
         result.append({
             "youtube_comment_id": c.get("id"),
             "author": c.get("author"),
             "text": c.get("text"),
             "likes": c.get("like_count") or 0,
             "is_pinned": bool(c.get("is_pinned")),
-            "published_at": published_at,
+            "published_at": datetime.utcfromtimestamp(ts) if ts else None,
         })
-    # Sort pinned first, then by likes
     result.sort(key=lambda c: (not c["is_pinned"], -(c["likes"] or 0)))
     return result[:max_comments]
 
 
+def fetch_dislike_count(youtube_video_id: str) -> int | None:
+    """Fetch dislike count from returnyoutubedislike.com (crowdsourced)."""
+    try:
+        url = f"https://returnyoutubedislikeapi.com/votes?videoId={youtube_video_id}"
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=5) as resp:
+            data = json.loads(resp.read())
+        return data.get("dislikes")
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
 QUALITY_FORMATS = {
     "best":  "bestvideo[ext=mp4][vcodec^=avc1]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/bestvideo[ext=mp4]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/22/18/bestvideo+bestaudio/best",
     "2160p": "bestvideo[ext=mp4][height<=2160]+bestaudio[ext=m4a]/bestvideo[height<=2160]+bestaudio/best[height<=2160]",
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Watch.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/Watch.jsx
index 2a15a61..fdbf8c3 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Watch.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Watch.jsx
@@ -894,7 +894,6 @@ export default function Watch() {
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-zinc-500 flex-wrap">
               {date && <span>{date}</span>}
               {video?.view_count > 0 && <><span>·</span><span>{formatViews(video.view_count)}</span></>}
-              {video?.like_count > 0 && <><span>·</span><span>👍 {formatViews(video.like_count).replace(" views", "")}</span></>}
               {video?.category && <><span>·</span><span>{video.category}</span></>}
               {video?.duration_seconds && (
                 <><span>·</span>
@@ -912,6 +911,26 @@ export default function Watch() {
               )}
             </div>
 
+            {/* Like/dislike bar */}
+            {video?.like_count > 0 && (
+              <div className="flex flex-col gap-1 w-full">
+                <div className="flex justify-between text-xs text-zinc-500">
+                  <span>{formatViews(video.like_count).replace(" views", "")} likes</span>
+                  {video?.dislike_count > 0 && <span>{formatViews(video.dislike_count).replace(" views", "")} dislikes</span>}
+                </div>
+                <div className="h-1 w-full bg-zinc-800 rounded-full overflow-hidden">
+                  <div
+                    className="h-full bg-blue-500 rounded-full"
+                    style={{
+                      width: video?.dislike_count > 0
+                        ? `${(video.like_count / (video.like_count + video.dislike_count)) * 100}%`
+                        : "100%",
+                    }}
+                  />
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            )}
+
             {/* Actions */}
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2 flex-wrap">
               {!dlComplete && !isDownloading && !downloadMut.isPending && (