# Youtube requires a Google account now? WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321 "2011-03-11T19:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/21 "2011-03-16T19:31:53Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > There is no benefit to me to allow one company to compile a database of my personal searches, purchases, interests, movements, whatever. I don’t click on ads – and targeting ads is the real reason they want to link all the data. I’d say there’s too much advertising in the world already … and I don’t really care to make it easier for someone to try to target me personally. But you had a YouTube account already, right? What is the difference between signing into YouTube using a ‘YouTube’ account versus a Google account? The same company can track you either way. I can appreciate the arguments that it is inconvenient to link accounts – especially since they don’t have multiple sign-in. But I don’t really see how it has become less private. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/22 "2011-03-16T22:11:34Z")
Where they are looking to go with this stuff is to know that I (or you) watched some videos of people cooking tomato sauce, bought a pasta machine, listened to Dean Martin sing “Volare”, ordered a book on Italian cooking, and exchanged a few emails containing recipes … so that when I (or you) log on to the dope on a mobile device around lunch time they can present us with an ad for the Olive Garden that is right around the corner. Then again, maybe I just moved to Oklahoma City and am searching for a place to buy diesel fuel for my VW and to buy some fertilizer for my new lawn and a place to return my U-Haul trailer. Who knows what joy may be in store for me when they start adding that up? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNJl9EEcsoE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNJl9EEcsoE) ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/23 "2011-03-17T04:02:21Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > Where they are looking to go with this stuff is to know that I (or you) watched some videos of people cooking tomato sauce, bought a pasta machine, listened to Dean Martin sing “Volare”, ordered a book on Italian cooking, and exchanged a few emails containing recipes … so that when I (or you) log on to the dope on a mobile device around lunch time they can present us with an ad for the Olive Garden that is right around the corner. You didn’t answer my question. There are a valid privacy concerns with a Google account, but if you have a YouTube account, then you already have a Google account. All that crap you are afraid of tracking can still be tracked. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/24 "2011-03-17T05:18:38Z")
I don’t want Google to link all my web searches and all my highway travel plans and all my online purchases and all my emails and all the videos I watch and whatever else they can think of to my telephone number (which links them directly to my name and address.) Although it is their business, I think it’s none of their business. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/25 "2011-03-17T13:02:42Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > For me, it’s the inconvenience of having to log out of my Gmail in order to log in under one of my alternate YouTube accounts. It also used to be inconvenient the other direction, but you can set up Gmail to open multiple accounts. > > And if you wonder why I have multiple accounts in each: > > I have a SPAM email address, an online-only email address, and a real life email address that uses my real name and looks more elegant. As for YouTube, I have my regular account that I use for comments, an account wI only use for uploads so that any comments on them are kept separate and the name is more appropriate to the contend, and an account for watching a certain type of video. Having a separate account for the latter means similar videos always show up in its Recommended videos list, but doesn’t pollute my recommended videos list. It’s actually a better searching method, since people tend not to label these videos very well. That’s crazy. Having a separate email address for spam made some sense in the days before Gmail, but Gmail’s spam filter is already extremely good. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/26 "2011-03-17T13:04:07Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > I don’t want Google to link all my web searches and all my highway travel plans and all my online purchases and all my emails and all the videos I watch and whatever else they can think of to my telephone number (which links them directly to my name and address.) > > Although it is their business, I think it’s none of their business. You could, you know, not use their services. Otherwise, that’s exactly what you’re asking them to do; to track you. Also, for what it’s worth, their competitors do essentially the same thing, so your information gets compiled somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/27 "2011-03-17T13:29:08Z")
> [@Turble](#): > > I don’t want Google to link all my web searches and all my highway travel plans and all my online purchases and all my emails and all the videos I watch and whatever else they can think of to my telephone number (which links them directly to my name and address.) Then why do you have a YouTube account? ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/28 "2011-03-17T16:58:35Z")
I no longer have **any** Google accounts. Yet another link that shows I am not so alone as I appear to be here: [FTC says industry implementing ‘do not track’](http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2035007/ftc-firm-track-rules) I suspect that those of you who think all this gathering and collating of personal data is fine just don’t really understand the situation. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/29 "2011-03-17T17:20:57Z")
I suspect that you fail to understand how very little some of us care about this sort of thing. Ooh, Google might collect a lot of data about me and serve me up with a personalized ad. First of all, I don’t care. Second of all, I’m not going to see the ad anyway because I use an ad-blocker. I mean, if you want to put on a tinfoil hat and cancel all of your Google accounts and refuse to use YouTube or Google, that’s fine, it’s your business. But don’t be surprised when the rest of us fail to get on the outrage bandwagon. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/30 "2011-03-17T17:24:07Z")
Ironically, the site about the “do not track” has nine trackers on it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/31 "2011-03-17T18:11:08Z")
Now that’s funny. Not that anybody cares, but I can’t help wondering how many are surprised? ---
**Author:** ![emily\_roof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e9c0ed/32.png) [@emily\_roof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emily_roof)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/32 "2014-06-13T00:48:07Z")
well Im bummed. cant stand the invasiveness of google stuff, I prefer at least the delusion of privacy. just got a new tablet and unlike my previous one, I cannot even use youtube at all unless I turn on all the google stuf I dont want or need. sucks. oh well youtube was fun while it lasted. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/33 "2014-06-13T01:58:26Z")
I’m confused, I have been forced to have a Google Plus account for several months now in order to comment on YouTube videos. Why am I so lucky? [Jawed Karim, the co-founder of YouTube, has the same question you do](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/08/youtube-founder-google_n_4241492.html). ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/34 "2014-06-13T10:26:56Z")
Youtube comments are a cesspool representing the worst aspects of humanity making people link to google plus to comment and use their real name will hopefully ameliorate the situation a little by taking away the anonymity that leads to posting whatever you want ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/35 "2014-06-13T12:53:11Z")
Yeah, anonymity, what a concept, who needs that… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/36 "2014-06-13T15:05:34Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Youtube comments are a cesspool representing the worst aspects of humanity > > making people link to google plus to comment and use their real name will hopefully ameliorate the situation a little by taking away the anonymity that leads to posting whatever you want If they’re making people use their real name, I assume that only applies to new accounts. I’m still using a variant of “Skywatcher” on YouTube. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/37 "2014-06-13T15:23:58Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > If they’re making people use their real name, I assume that only applies to new accounts. I’m still using a variant of “Skywatcher” on YouTube. I used a fake name for my Google account. There haven’t been any problems…yet. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/38 "2014-06-13T15:44:13Z")
The forced integration of Google+ with YouTube (and other services) was highly controversial even within Google. It’s recently led to Google scaling back its Google+ integration policy, though it’s not clear whether they’ll actually reverse it in the case of YouTube. Further details:[ul][_][Google+ Is Walking Dead](http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/24/google-is-walking-dead/) (TechCrunch)[_][Report: Google to end forced G+ integration, drastically cut division resources](http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/04/report-google-to-end-forced-g-integration-drastically-cut-division-resources/) (Ars Technica)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/39 "2014-06-13T17:00:10Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > If they’re making people use their real name, I assume that only applies to new accounts. I’m still using a variant of “Skywatcher” on YouTube. And I’m still Biffyshrew, but I’ve gotten a bunch of popups trying to persuade me to change it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fornicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Fornicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fornicator)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321/40 "2014-06-13T17:24:52Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I use a broad range of Google products (Gmail, YouTube, Picasa, Googe Docs) and an Android phone, and I find it very convenient to have one account that lets me access them all. I can understand the need to sometimes compartmentalize your on-line activities, but I suspect that the majority of users will find this a plus, as I do. As do the NSA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youtube-requires-a-google-account-now-wtf/574321.md?page=3)