Two years after their launch, YouTube Shorts has grappled with persistent issues of spam. In a bid to combat this problem, YouTube has decided to take a step by deactivating links in short videos, effective from August 31st.
Deactivation of Links and Social Media Icons
This move involves the deactivation of links across various areas, including video descriptions, comments, and vertical live broadcasts. Additionally, social media icons on channel banners will no longer be accessible on desktop versions.
Preventive Measures Against Scammers and Spammers
Acknowledging the rapidly evolving tactics of abuse, YouTube emphasizes the need for preventive actions to impede scammers and spammers in their activities. The company states, “As abuse tactics evolve rapidly, we must take preventive measures to make it harder for scammers and spammers to do their job.”
Enhancing Creator Channels with New Links
Conversely, YouTube is taking steps to enhance creators’ channels by introducing new types of links. Starting from August 23, these links will be prominently displayed next to the “Subscribe” button. These links can lead to a variety of destinations, ranging from social media profiles to product sales websites.
Combatting Impersonation Accounts
To address the issue of impersonation accounts, YouTube is instituting measures from August 21. Fan accounts must now explicitly indicate in their channel names that they do not represent the actual company or artist. Notably, the platform saw a substantial increase of over 35% in the removal of accounts due to impersonation in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
In its endeavor to compete with platforms like TikTok, YouTube discontinued Stories in June, a feature that essentially replicated Shorts’ functionality, notes NIXSolutions. The platform aims to attract more creators to produce short content and has been sharing ad revenue with Shorts authors since February.