Google has announced plans to enhance its security on Google Drive and YouTube. The changes are however expected to affect existing public links for items stored on both tools. The tech giant said that files and videos on unused, abandoned, and inactive accounts could easily disappear in the process.
The reason, Google explains, is because their enhanced security is meant to improve link sharing on Drive and YouTube. The new security settings are optional, meaning users can choose not to have them updated.
The newly enhanced security settings will require viewers to be granted explicit access to open links. They will be required to log into the shared links, enabling tracking for files.
Read: Google to Make Two-Step Authentication Mandatory for All Users
On YouTube, any public videos that are marked as “unlisted” will be affected. Any unlisted video uploaded before 2017 will have its status changed to “private” beginning July 23. Private videos limit sharing to a maximum of 50 people, who must have Google accounts, and will help kill old links or embeds.
Users who wish to maintain and publicly share their “unlisted” videos will be required to fill out a form and submit it to YouTube. The other alternative is to reupload the videos and still have them marked “Unlisted” as the security enhancements only affect videos prior to 2017.
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