Google pulling back on social network as key user gateway

Google Inc. is limiting the reach of its social network, planning to make it simpler to log into the company’s many Web services — including YouTube — without Google+.

The company will soon let users sign into a basic Google account when accessing services across its product lineup — instead of having to join the social-networking tool, Bradley Horowitz, vice president, said Monday in a blog. Video-sharing service YouTube will be one of the first to enable consumers to make the switch. In the coming weeks, visitors will be able to comment, upload a clip or create a channel without a Google+ profile.