[TheZookie007]

Mashable: "Google Begins Phasing Out YouTube Accounts"

"Existing YouTube users are now required to associate their YouTube accounts with Google's cross-site account system. New users are already required to do so, but Google is trying once and for all to phase out the pre-Google account system that's left over from the days before the search giant purchased the video sharing site.

The company announced the policy change in a recent blog post. Knowing that not all of the old YouTube users have Google accounts, Software Engineer Brett Hobbs was careful to explain the benefits and **90** any misperceptions those users might have.

Most notably, he clarified that YouTube usernames won't change, they'll just be tied to Google accounts behind the scenes. He wrote that it will make things much easier for the YouTube team because sorting between the two account systems is a big pain, and that Google accounts have better security, so it ought to be a win for everybody.

You don't need to be a Gmail user to have a Google account; you can sign up with any e-mail address. Wary of a privacy backlash, Google has made it clear that your YouTube activity won't start automatically publishing in your Buzz feed once your accounts are linked. You’ll have to opt in to that feature.

The mandatory transition will be gradual, but if you want to jump ahead you can link your accounts right away. Based on what Google has said so far, we don't see why anyone should be bothered by this change, but if you can think of a reason to be concerned, be sure and share it the comments."



Personally I don't see the need for this change on Google's part (the YT account system worked just fine for me) but I also don't see anything wrong with it either. One caveat: just be sure and log out of your Gmail/Google Accounts before you link your YouTube and your Google accounts. If someone else is logged into their Gmail and you do this, the net result is his YouTube account is linked with your Gmail account.

[Pacman]

It's one of those things that goes hand-in-hand with Google ownership. While it will probably be fine in the end I still wish sometimes they would have the guts to run things as separate entities like they were intended.

[pedonbio]

Google intends to become what Microsoft used to be; how can it do that without inconveniencing its customers?

[Hiram]

I found it quite annoying.

[TheZookie007]

It took 'em five years, but:

BBC News: "Google unlinking Google+ from YouTube"

Google has revealed plans to sideline its social network Google+ by changing the way users log in to its products and services.

It said it would no longer require users to sign up to Google+ to post comments to products such as YouTube.

Brad Horowitz, who manages Google's photos and sharing services, announced the changes in a blog on Monday.

One expert told the BBC that some YouTube creators had reacted to the news with "glee".

Google had been criticised by YouTube stars over its attempt to integrate Google+ with the video sharing site.

Many argued Google had attempted to integrate Google+ with the more successful YouTube platform to give the struggling social network a boost.

"The initial uproar was just insane. There were songs made about Google+* and how much people disliked it," said Alex Brinnand, managing editor YouTube magazine TenEighty. "There was an overriding feeling that we were already swamped with other social media platforms, and people felt that they were forced into the deal."

Mr Horowitz confirmed that Google+ integration with other websites would slowly be rolled back.

"In the coming months, a Google Account will be all you'll need to share content, communicate with contacts, create a YouTube channel and more, all across Google," he said.

Opted in
He later made additional comments on his own Google+ page, in which he admitted that requiring people to register on Google+ to post comments on YouTube since November 2013 had been a "controversial" decision.

"We want to formally retire the notion that a Google+ membership is required for anything at Google… other than using Google+ itself," he added.

YouTube clarified that people who were happy with the integration would not have to take any action, but an option to unlink a YouTube account from Google+ would be introduced.

Reaction to the news had been greeted with "glee" by some YouTube video bloggers, said Mr Brinnand.

"For many creators this feel like it's been a long time coming. People have been rooting for this to happen," he said. "People felt like they were forced into joining Google+ and be active on it, and that's not something they accepted. When Google made the announcement on Monday, I could feel a collective sigh of relief. It's almost as though Google has given up the fight, it has let go. But at least it shows Google is listening. There's sometimes a presumption that YouTube doesn't listen to creators, but now it really had. This could be a turning point for the company," he said.




That sound in the background is of the angels singing a rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah.



* (edited to add the link to the song once I confirmed that she was an adult when she made it)