How to prevent the new YouTube Messages feature from connecting you with other users when sharing videos on WhatsApp

YouTube has launched the new Messages feature for connect users who normally share videos through other messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Telegram, and which can be deactivated to prevent this type of connection.

The objective of this function is to be able to share anything from a music video to a tutorial on anything or simply a Short, so that users can contemplate the possibility of using YouTube instead of WhatsApp or other messaging applications to comment on that content.

The video platform explains on its support website that the user can generate an invitation link and send it to the person with which you want to connect through other ‘apps’, such as WhatsApp.

In fact, it specifies that the other person must accept the invitation explicitly for the chat to start and videos to begin sharing. Nevertheless, This interaction can also occur automaticallyby clicking the link of a video that a contact has sent through a messaging ‘app’.

YouTube has been inspired by the messaging experience that Spotify launched last year, and like the music platform, it has not explained that the video links that are shared contain a tracker, which is responsible for producing the aforementioned connection.

It was precisely the user community itself, both on Reddit and on the Spotify support page, that raised the alarm about the tracker hiding under the ‘yes’ parameter in the link that is shared.

This is what is happening right now with the YouTube Messages function, clicking on a link to a video or song on Spotify can lead to contact being made on an ‘app’ that users prefer to leave simply to watch videosinstead of turning it into another messaging platform.

HOW TO AVOID CONNECTING WITH USERS IN AN UNDESIRED WAY

If the user wants to prevent this connection from occurring with anyone who receives a link that has been shared from the mobile, You can disable this option completely by following a few simple steps.

This function is in the YouTube settings, within the ‘Privacy’ sectionand appears under the name ‘Channel visibility on shared links’ so you can disable it immediately.

In fact, under its name, the ‘app’ explains that the feature “shows channel name, handle and profile picture users to open links that are shared outside of YouTube.

After deactivating this feature, the experience will return to the same as always, and anyone who taps the link of a shared video, when opening YouTube, will not automatically start a conversation through YouTube Messages.