Key Points
- YouTube is testing a direct messaging (DM) feature again. The test is currently limited to users aged 18 and up in Ireland and Poland.
- The feature lets users share and discuss videos within the YouTube app.
- Google has stated that messages may be reviewed to ensure they follow community guidelines.
- YouTube previously had a DM feature from 2017 to 2019, but removed it to focus on public comments.
YouTube is once again trying to add direct messaging to its platform. According to a support page, the service has begun testing DMs as a new way for users to share and discuss videos.
The initial test is limited to users in Ireland and Poland who are 18 years or older. However, there’s a catch.
While DMs usually imply some level of privacy, Google has stated that “messages may be reviewed to ensure they follow our Community Guidelines.” This means your private conversations on the platform might not be as private as you think.
This isn’t the first time YouTube has tried to get into the messaging game. The platform first added DMs to its app back in 2017, but then removed the feature in 2019. At the time, the company said it wanted to focus more on public conversations in video comments.
This new test for sharing videos within the YouTube ecosystem won’t affect any of the other ways you can send videos to people.
Bringing back the same feature six years after getting rid of it might seem like a strange move, but Google claims that DMs are “a top feature request.” So, maybe this time around, the feature will be more popular and stick around for good.
