YouTube has addressed the issue concerning spam links on Shorts. The company says that starting August 31 links posted on Shorts’ comments, descriptions and the vertical live feed will not be clickable anymore. This new update aims to prevent users from getting scammed or misled by suspicious links.
Aside from the links, YouTube will also remove the clickable social media icons, as these are also sources of spam links that lead the audience to phishing, scams and other dangerous content. Although YouTube has a system in place for removing spam links, the company says disabling the links is to further “reduce spam and scam attempts.”
A new and safer way to click Shorts links
Links in Shorts are helpful for creators to redirect their audience to their long-form content and/or product recommendations. That’s why the tech giant will give creators a safer space to place their links.
In a press release, YouTube said, “We know that links are an important way for creators to share information and recommend products/brands to their communities, so we’re actively working on safer ways for creators to include important links in their content.”
Starting August 23, users will see prominent clickable links on the channels near the subscribe button. Creators can use this space to place social media and merchandise links as long as they adhere to YouTube’s Community Guidelines. According to YouTube, creators can also link their long-form videos in Shorts by the end of September.
YouTube claims its policies to combat scams are effective
YouTube started cracking down on impersonation channels and reduced its number by 35 percent in the first quarter of 2023. Additionally, YouTube’s “increase strictness” feature has immensely helped creators detect spam links and inappropriate content, which resulted in a 200 percent increase in comments reviewed just after a month of its release.
Spam links has been a huge problem across different platforms. It’s good that YouTube is addressing this concern for the safety of its users.