Victory: Google Decoupling Google+ and YouTube

In a blog post published this morning, Google states that with Google+, a few things could have gone better. “While we got certain things right, we made a few choices that, in hindsight, we’ve needed to rethink,” Google admits. If you happen to use YouTube and Google+, then you will know that statement could not be more true.

Before the changes that are set to take place, setting up a YouTube account attached to a Google+ profile, especially if you are a Google Apps user, was beyond ridiculous. And please, let’s not get started on the YouTube comments section regarding the involvement of Google+ and your need for a profile attached to your existing Google account.

Beginning now and progressing into the near future, Google is taking steps, alongside YouTube, to detach Google+ from a few of its services. Now, Google+ will be used more as a place to view topics you are interested in, instead of a full blown social network where you go to view photos and see where your friends are. These changes have already begun taking place, as Google has removed most photo features from the social network, releasing a dedicated Photos service for all users, separate from Google+.

Google states that by moving a few of these features, it will create, “a more useful, more engaging Google+.” Moving forward, as time goes by, we will begin to see a reshaped Google+ experience, one more catered to sharing interests with friends and family, untied to the rest of your Google profile.

More importantly, let’s talk YouTube. In the coming months, YouTube states that users will be able to completely unlink their Google+ profile from their YouTube account. This means that when you want to create a YouTube account, comment on videos, or upload a video, you will not need a Google+ profile. All you will need is your primary Google account, which will remain unsearchable on the worldwide web.

In addition to that major change, YouTube has a few key changes that will take affect immediately. First, any comments you make on YouTube will only be shared on YouTube, not on Google+. Also, YouTube has improved the ranking system that reduces the visibility of junk comments, leading to more intelligent conversations between viewers. If you are a creator, however, the ability to moderate comments and block people is all staying the same. No changes there. Do note, if you like the integration between Google+ and YouTube, you may choose to keep it and nothing will change. The choice is entirely yours.

To get more detailed information on what exactly these changes mean for your Google+ and YouTube account, follow the below links.

Via: Google | YouTube