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Google Is Dropping Its Google+ Requirement Across All Products Including YouTube

Posted by samzenpus on from the what's-in-a-name? dept.

An anonymous reader writes: After years of plugging Google+ into all of its services, today Google announced that your Google+ profile will no longer be your identity in all its products. The company says it will take a few months for all the changes to happen, but the first product to be uncoupled will be YouTube. Bradley Horowitz, Google's vice president of streams, photos, and sharing, says the changes are a response to user feedback: "We've also heard that it doesn't make sense for your Google+ profile to be your identity in all the other Google products you use."

28 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. But... but? by ckatko · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who will I complain is evil and destroying the world, if they start doing things that aren't evil?

    1. Re:But... but? by binarylarry · · Score: 2

      Personally I didn't mind this feature.

      I hate juggling accounts, I hope this doesn't mean I'll need a YouTube account AND a gmail account.

      --
      Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    2. Re:But... but? by mattventura · · Score: 2

      Before the G+ integration, there was the option to sign in with a normal Google account. Presumably that will still work.

    3. Re:But... but? by bigfinger76 · · Score: 2

      Some are age restricted, requiring you to sign in to view them.

    4. Re:But... but? by Shakrai · · Score: 2

      You can get all of that stuff from alt.binaries.erotica.* without needing a YouTube account. ;)

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    5. Re:But... but? by gstoddart · · Score: 2

      LOL ... who the hell still has access to usenet feeds?

      I mean, sure, who doesn't have fond memories of concatenating files and then uudecoding them to discover what you'd downloaded? Or the horror of discovering the horse porn.

      But the last time I saw anything with access to the usenet feeds was a long time ago. I'm sure they exist, but would most people even have access to them any more?

      I can honestly say I've seen some of the sickest stuff of my life on usenet. And I can also say I've not seen usenet in around a decade.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    6. Re:But... but? by JMJimmy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Personally I didn't mind this feature.

      I hate juggling accounts, I hope this doesn't mean I'll need a YouTube account AND a gmail account.

      Personally I prefer having separate accounts. It's too easy to track down information with linked accounts. People don't realize how much information is publicly available and what consequences that can have. Heck, even without linked accounts it's far too easy. I once tracked down someone, at their request, starting with only a username on a single forum. On that forum they'd mentioned their cats names in a single post. From that I was able to identify their postings as anonymous users, their real name, address, social media profiles, and so on. The scary part, it took me less than an hour to compile all the information. The only reason it took that long is because there was a lady in Florida with the same cat names which had to be teased out of the data. Another individual I tracked, I was able to identify where they lived, what they drove, how long they'd lived in their home, what they paid for it, what they pay in taxes, what instrument they played in a band, etc... so many details of their life just out in the open. I got all of that starting from a single tweet on an account they'd only sent 8 tweets from and deleted; it just happened to have been cached by Google.

    7. Re:But... but? by cayenne8 · · Score: 2
      Wait....!!

      Does this finally mean I'll be able to post replies to my own YouTube channel and other's videos?

      I have my account, that predates Google taking YouTube over. I've resisted all these years going to G+ or giving them more information....but for that, Ihad to give up being able to post comments and replies not only to other peoples' videos, but even to my own.

      This will be a welcome change if that works!!

      Now, if they'd also do away with trying to occasionally "verify" your account with a phone call. I fear I"m gonna have to go get a disposable phone for that one day...but hey at least this is one step in the right direction.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    8. Re:But... but? by wolrahnaes · · Score: 2

      LOL ... who the hell still has access to usenet feeds?

      Usenet is alive and well with some nice automated tools that handle all the processing of downloads and even download things for you. Search "NZB" and have fun. I just tell my home server what I want to watch and it handles the rest for me.

      --
      I used to get high on life, but I developed a tolerance. Now I need something stronger.
    9. Re:But... but? by Z00L00K · · Score: 2

      I have the same - an old account for my videos and I have tried to avoid the Google+ account as much as possible, so it's just good that it disappears. One headache less.

      Now if Facebook could disappear too.

      I don't have any problem with the account verification though - it's just a variant of the 2-factor authentication so don't complain too much, it may prevent you from getting your account hijacked.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    10. Re:But... but? by CronoCloud · · Score: 2

      LOL ... who the hell still has access to usenet feeds?

      For the binaries groups? Obsessive gotta-collect-all-the-media pirates, mostly.

      My ISP doesn't have their own netnews server anymore. At first they farmed it out to a third party but still included the service, but then they dropped it entirely.

      I've been looking around for a service that suits my needs, I don't need/want binaries and I don't want to have to pay whatever month to something like Giganews to help bankroll the piracy for everyone else.

    11. Re:But... but? by m2shariy · · Score: 2

      I don't have any problem with the account verification though - it's just a variant of the 2-factor authentication so don't complain too much, it may prevent you from getting your account hijacked.

      On the other hand, if for some reason you phone number changes, bye-bye account.

    12. Re:But... but? by cayenne8 · · Score: 2

      I don't have any problem with the account verification though - it's just a variant of the 2-factor authentication so don't complain too much, it may prevent you from getting your account hijacked.

      Well, I just would rather not give Google my cell phone number...

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
    13. Re:But... but? by edtice1559 · · Score: 2

      Being able to interact with the freedom to not worry about consequences is what the internet provides for me - otherwise I must be restrained in what I say for fear of the impact, now or in the future.

      Fair enough. But this isn't the *intent* of most social media. You might behave responsibly in this situation but, in general, whenever this is allowed, it becomes a feeding frenzy for trolls. Facebook used to have a real names policy and still pretty much does for normal people. It's why all of the moms are on there an comfortable. Gaming sites (Steam, et cetera) don't have this and the environment is one of unrestrained teenagers. It's getting harder and harder to have a profile you can walk away from and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It means you have to be much more careful expressing unpopular views, but this may actually be good for those views. Triggering negative reactions isn't a great way to get your point across. The only real time you need anonymity is fighting oppressive regimes and, in that case, you have a much different problem set.

    14. Re:But... but? by allo · · Score: 2

      Google+ != Google Account.

      For example i stopped writing reviews for android apps, when it was not possible with google account anymore (your appstore login anyway), but needed a google+ account.

  2. People use google+ ? by plopez · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I hadn't heard much of it lately.

    --
    putting the 'B' in LGBTQ+
  3. End of Google+ by johanw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Knowing Google, they will usually abort failed projects. They tried really hard with Google+ but it has failed almost as bad as windows phone so it's about time to abandon it.

    1. Re:End of Google+ by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      That was my first thought as well. Once they've uncoupled everything from Google+, I expect (within the subsequent 6-12 months) we'll hear that Google+ has been EOLed.

      That's fine by me; but I imagine we'll see a lot of kvetching here on Slashdot.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  4. Obligatory comic... by dwheeler · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Obligatory comic here: http://owlturd.com/post/730466...

    --
    - David A. Wheeler (see my Secure Programming HOWTO)
  5. Latitude! by roc97007 · · Score: 3

    Great. Now put Latitude back in Maps where it belongs!

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  6. One Facebook... by Dan+East · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One Facebook to rule them all. At least Google gave it a try. I guess the end Facebook's dominance will have to be a long, slow process of attrition like with MySpace. It has a critical mass of users that cannot be overcome with money or other Web presence, as proven by Google. It may also take the young generation growing through it - most people under 20 do not have much interest in Facebook at all. They have accounts of course, but very few are very active.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
    1. Re:One Facebook... by rikxik · · Score: 2

      > most people under 20 do not have much interest in Facebook at all. They have accounts of course, but very few are very active.

      That is true for mostly US/Europe - Asia is a clear exception where Facebook is still very much the medium of choice and snapchat etc haven't even come close to replacing it.

  7. This is a smart move for them by ErichTheRed · · Score: 5, Interesting

    One problem with Google+ in my opinion was that G+ would be like Facebook if Facebook had perfect information on every one of your habits/actions/locations. When you have to use it to sign in to everything, it approaches the creepy line that a lot of people have.

    It's similar to how a lot of discussion forums, etc. encourage or force Facebook logins to post. You'd think that would keep people at bay, but all that vitriolic hatred you see on news forums, etc. is right there next to people's pictures and occupations -- "Joe User - 7th Grade Social Studies teacher at Somewhereville Middle School." I once thought, "No one could be that dumb, posting trash like that as a public figure with their real ID." Sure enough, go look for the person on LinkedIn, there he is with a matching picture, etc. People really have zero knowledge about how social media works, what the companies use the data for, or anything about online privacy.

    1. Re:This is a smart move for them by rwa2 · · Score: 2

      I don't know about you, but I kinda prefer having targeted advertising for stuff I'm actually interested in, as opposed to being bombarded with random ads for beer and diapers and feminine hygiene products that I get when I'm in a "fresh" browser or incognito mode. I'm also OK with using the random Google accounts I created to do online shopping... they're anonymous enough for me relative to the realname account that I only use for talking to the handful of actual people in a "social" context.

    2. Re:This is a smart move for them by Vitriol+Angst · · Score: 2

      I too think it's insane to link a "real" account to a forum for exchanging my "opinion."

      If Slashdot only allowed FaceBook logins, I'd either censor my opinions and keep it professional (which MIGHT be good for the quality and decorum of discussion) or I'd not use Slashdot.

      When FaceBook logins were required for Huffingtonpost.com and Digg.com -- I quickly left. It's one thing to voice a political opinion -- it's another thing to become permanently unemployable.

      More and more, I believe, companies will use social media to do background checks, and if your Facebook doesn't look like a Sears & Roebuck catalog and your political opinions aren't supporting Bernie Sanders -- you are in luck!

      I also figure that you will soon have an "employment score" just like you have a credit score. Free speech doesn't mean much without employment.

      --
      >>"ad space available -- low rates!!!"
  8. But I just linked my g+ to my Zune! by mekkab · · Score: 4, Funny

    How will my friends know what I'm listening to?!

    /Oh right, I don't have any friends. So no problem!

    --
    In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
  9. Not Needed anymore by Pepebuho · · Score: 2

    It means that they no longer need to index and associate your use across platforms because they have already developed the capability to link you personally across all their different platforms through Super Cookies, Data Mining, etc. Google+ is now irrelevant and a good bone to throw to the privacy minding minions who will celebrate it as if it accomplished anything.

    JP

  10. Re:Not Here, Not Ever by Black+LED · · Score: 2

    Magic Actions is even better for YouTube.