(http://readwrite.com/files/google_youtube.jpg)
YouTube announced (http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2013/09/youtube-new-comments.html) a new way of filtering out annoying comments on videos. Starting this week, YouTube comments will be powered by Google+ (http://plus.google.com), Google's social network.
The video site is notorious for users who down-vote videos en masse or post vicious replies, so YouTube is taking action to provide higher-quality comments and conversations.
YouTube declares that it's making comments better by integrating Google+. It will prioritize comments from recognizable profiles, like the video creator or friends. Posted comments can be shared privately or in users' Google+ circles, and additional moderating tools will give video creators the ability to block phrases or auto-approve comments.
"The grand idea is to try and turn these one-off comments into conversations that you really care about," said Matt McLernon, a spokesperson for YouTube.
But There's Another Agenda Here While this seems like an effort by YouTube to improve the user experience, it is also a thinly veiled attempt by Google to bring Google+ services to the mainstream. Google has already integrated its social network in most of its products with the hopes of increasing engagement, provoking annoyance (http://readwrite.com/2013/05/22/if-google-is-good-why-does-google-insist-on-forcing-it-on-us#awesm=~oiodnvlJUngpNX) among some users. YouTube will be one of Google's largest platforms to force its users to sign up for a Google+ account.
Google+ may be the web's second-largest social network behind Facebook (http://janrain.com/blog/social-login-trends-across-the-web-for-q2-2013/), but that could be due to the fact that almost everyone with a Gmail account has a Google+ account, too. Whether they're using them or not is another story.
YouTube users who don't already have a Google+ account will have to sign up for one using a Gmail address in order to participate in page discussions and, eventually, to comment on videos.
YouTube said that users can register with either a Google+ profile or page so they can still use anonymous usernames.
"On the Google+ side, you enter as much information as you like," McLernon said. "On the YouTube side you can use a Plus page, so if you want to be awesomeperson5000, you can do that."
YouTube claims that the majority of YouTube commenters are already Google+ users, so many people might not even notice a difference. But with over one billion monthly unique users (http://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html), there is bound to be a significant amount of people that registered with alternative email addresses.
The company is risking a user revolt by mandating all commenters be Google+ users, as many people are already unhappy that the service is being forced on them (http://readwrite.com/2013/05/22/if-google-is-good-why-does-google-insist-on-forcing-it-on-us#awesm=~oiodnvlJUngpNX). YouTube will begin rolling out the changes on channel pages today, with the exclusive Google+ commenting and linking system due globally later this year.
Image via BrianDHawkins on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/extremeezine/7034139997/sizes/m/in/photolist-bHzNKP-9RhuN9-98Ng52-cMvxFu-bmJyk3-9s9gso-9hY3SX-7Q1EqG-adFB5j-9ScTB5-9AdVeh-8h1Zca-8mroJZ-8hgnyR-9SdqQG-9s9maf-9s3rZW-9s6t92-9s6bLx-9s6ioM-9s6omx-9s6foT-9s9uvj-9s6p2K-9s6nTM-9s6nun-9s9y8C-9s6xD2-9s9rHE-9s9u7y-9s6sgD-9s9spQ-9s6oND-9s9ea7-9s6r72-9s9sZh-9s3sqq-9s6wok-9s6eha-9s6hQX-9s9vKo-9s9jyq-9s9v21-9s6wZR-9s6xq8-9s6jfk-9s9ui5-9s6xQx-9s9nCW/)
Source: Want To Comment On YouTube? You'll Need A Google+ Account First (http://readwrite.com/2013/09/24/youtube-google-plus-comment)