YouTube is making it harder for users who post negative and hurtful comments on videos to hide behind the site's anonymity.
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The video-sharing site is urging users to start using their full name when commenting and uploading clips. Instead of displaying a pen name linked to the YouTube account, the company wants to link to the user's full name and picture used on their Google+ account.
Although YouTube did not respond to a request for comment, the move will likely prevent hasty commenters from leaving hurtful remarks on the site.
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"We're giving you the ability to change how you appear on YouTube, with the option to use your Google+ profile on your YouTube channel," the company noted on its blog. "One Google-wide identity was something that proved popular with new YouTube users when we began offering it in March, so we are now extending it to existing users."
YouTube now asks users if they want to use their full name when leaving a comment. Users that decline must then choose a reason for doing so, such as "my channel is for a product, business or organization" or "my channel name is well-known."
"We'll help you review your YouTube content before your full name starts to display," YouTube says in a message. "And if you change your mind, you can switch back to your username."
The news comes one month after a YouTube developer at the Google I/O conference said the site would be undergoing some changes to prevent bullying in the comments section.
YouTube is also allowing users to review existing content.
"Maybe you posted a few things way back (all those “I love you Biebs!!” comments?) that you’d rather not associate with publicly," YouTube said. "By clicking 'Review my content,' you can see every video, comment or playlist you’ve ever posted, and decide whether you want it associated with your full name before making the change."
Do you think the move will encourage people to think twice before leaving a hurtful comment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
BONUS: 10 Incredible Inspirational Moments on YouTube
1. The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall changed Europe politically and the German city physically. Ushering in a new era of freedom for a new decade, this footage from 1989 offers powerful imagery of East and West reuniting after nearly 40 years of enforced separation.
Click here to view this gallery.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
