YouTube is enhancing its Shorts platform with an upcoming Lens integration that allows users to search for objects, landmarks, animals, and plants spotted within videos. Rolling out in beta soon, this feature offers a new way to interact with content by providing instant visual search capabilities directly within Shorts.

Users watching a Short can pause the video and tap the Lens button to highlight or circle the item they want to learn more about. For instance, if a landmark appears in the background, viewers can search it to access information about the location where the video was filmed. The search results and visual matches will appear overlaid on the video, enabling seamless navigation back to the original content.

This update builds on Google’s broader expansion of Lens, which now supports video-based searches and in-store shopping assistance. YouTube emphasizes privacy by clarifying that Lens does not use biometric facial recognition to identify individuals but may recognize notable public figures. During the beta phase, no ads will be shown in search results, and the feature will initially exclude Shorts containing affiliate shopping links.

By integrating Lens into Shorts, YouTube aims to deepen engagement and provide users with a richer, more informative viewing experience while maintaining smooth interaction with video content.

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