Links in YouTube Shorts to Be Disabled as Countermeasure Against Scams
In a recent move to combat spam and scam attempts, Google-owned YouTube has made a significant announcement. Starting August 31, 2023, links embedded within Shorts comments, Shorts descriptions, and the vertical live feed will no longer be clickable. This decision was revealed on a support page last Thursday.
The platform explained the rationale behind this move, stating, “Because abuse tactics evolve quickly, we have to take preventative measures to make it harder for scammers and spammers to mislead or scam users via links.”
Furthermore, YouTube has decided to remove clickable social media icons from all desktop channel banners. However, recognizing the importance of links for creators to disseminate information and endorse products or brands to their audience, YouTube is introducing alternative methods to display vital links.
Starting from August 23rd, 2023, both mobile and desktop users will begin to notice prominent clickable links on creators’ channel profiles, positioned near the ‘Subscribe’ button. The video-sharing giant also disclosed plans to unveil a more secure method for creators to guide viewers from Shorts to their other YouTube content by the end of the following month.
In addition to these changes, YouTube has begun testing a new ‘For You’ section. This feature aims to personalize the channel homepage for individual viewers, offering a diverse range of content recommendations from that channel based on the viewer’s previous watch history.
It’s evident that YouTube is taking proactive steps to ensure user safety while also accommodating the needs of its vast creator community.
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