– Designed to allow users to watch videos, download them, and share them with friends without using data.
– Specifically targeted at countries with weak internet connectivity and costly data.
The app also includes an interesting feature where users can download videos to watch later offline. Most of the features of the app require a subscription to YouTube Red, some of which are free but limited.
Read also: What is the YouTube Go app and how can you get it?
While the app seems like a good idea on paper with its mentioned uses and benefits, as a privacy-conscious user, the real reason some may refrain from using the app is the requirement to enter their phone number. This phone number becomes linked to their Google account, and the app uses it to search and scan the phone’s contacts regularly to find contacts who use the app.
Even if a user does not intend to share videos with anyone, they still have to enter a valid phone number. Google will regularly scan through the contact list, among other searches. Many users do not want their contacts regularly reviewed by Google just to use an app.
Privacy is the main reason some users avoid using the app. Additionally, the app does not have a search feature, meaning it is limited to the top videos provided by Google. This has been the case since last year, and with continuous updates, it seems unlikely to change soon.
Conclusion:
There is a much better way, in terms of privacy, to use YouTube Go without a phone number or bypassing this step. After reading this article, regardless of using the app or not, do you as a user want to use apps that require your phone number?
