Google tried to push the Google+ social network by connecting it with some of its more popular products such as search and YouTube but the strategy didn’t work. Over the past few months we’ve seen Google go back from this position and uncouple some of its services from Google+, Hangouts and Photos have already received this treatment and YouTube is next in line. It’s finally being uncoupled from Google+.
The YouTube community wasn’t happy when a couple of years ago Google decided to implement users’ Google+ profiles in comments, which basically meant that whoever wanted to comment on a YouTube video required a Google+ account.
Google tried to sell this by saying that it will put “people you care about” first, with the system personalizing comments for each user and displaying comments from their Google+ contacts first. It gave no alternative to users who didn’t want their Google+ accounts to show up in YouTube comments.
In a blogpost today the company confirms that Youtube will no longer require a Google+ profile to upload videos, create channels or comment on videos. Those who want to remove their Google+ profile from YouTube will be able to do so in the coming months, YouTube cautions that don’t do it right now because this will delete users’ channels.
Those who keep their accounts linked will see that comments made on YouTube will only appear on YouTube not on Google+ and vice versa. The ranking system has also been improved to reduce the visibility of junk comments.
Google hasn’t said precisely when you’ll be able to remove your Google+ accounts from YouTube, we’ll let you know when it announces a date.