YouTube is reintroducing private messaging after testing new ways for users to share videos and “have conversations about them” last year. In an announcement on its official blog, YouTube says it’s now starting to expand the in-app video sharing and messaging feature to users in the US and “other global regions” who are 18 or older.
There are some differences with the new messaging system, however: YouTube users are required to verify their age before accessing the feature, and can only talk with a person after sending them an invitation link via third-party messaging platforms. The chat feature can be accessed by tapping the “Messages” icon at the top right of the YouTube app, which will then provide an invitation link. The way this system is set up suggests that it’s trying to keep you chatting with people you already know, instead of encouraging conversations between random YouTube users.
“Our community loves to share videos with their friends and family, and we want them to be able to do it in one place,” YouTube said in the announcement. “Whether it’s a new music video, a helpful tutorial, or a funny Short, this update will give users a new way to share right where they’re watching.”
YouTube says its community guidelines will apply to all shared content and messages that are exchanged using the feature and that it’s looking to expand “even further soon.”