YouTube is removing links in Shorts to combat spam and impersonation accounts

YouTube is set to implement new measures to combat spam issues in its Shorts feature. From August 31st, links in Shorts video descriptions, comments, and vertical live feeds will be deactivated. Also, social media icons on desktop channel banners will be made unclickable to curb spam.

When it comes to YouTube profiles, a clickable link will be provided near the Subscribe button on creator channels from August 23rd, leading users to merchandise websites or social media profiles. For Shorts, YouTube aims to develop "safer" methods for guiding users from Shorts to other content by the end of September, which would replace the links used so far. New tools for creators are also being introduced for Shorts, such as voiceovers.

The company is stepping up its efforts to address impersonation accounts, a significant challenge for the platform. It has noted a 35% increase in the removal of these accounts in Q1 2023 compared to Q1 2022, and they assert that these new measures will further enhance this percentage. To enhance moderation, YouTube has also introduced an "Increase Strictness" feature that will hold more comments for review, thereby enhancing the platform's ability to handle and control spam and abusive content.