What's Google+ and How Do I Know if I Have an Account

Google is shutting down the consumer version of its Google Plus social network after the WSJ revealed it had exposed the data of hundreds of thousands of users. Here's how to check if you have an account and what to do about it.

More from the Wall Street Journal:

[DuetPain]

as long as it's not gmail that's shutting down then i am ok with this.

[lizzyd]

Thank You! This was so helpful because I got the email and didn't know what it meant

[brianburdett]

We've all been hacked and we get $12, lol.

[dk]

Thank you very much! I‘ve never used g+ or even knew i had one but now its gone 👌🏼👌🏼

[joannef]

I don’t understand where Google+ ends and my Gmail and normal Google browser starts??

[RJCemetery]

But are my YouTube videos gonna be deleted?

[AndersonChan]

Once they shut down Google plus, how big is the change? Is YT and other Google services still run the same or will we have to relearn how to use their products

[trh]

The year 2000 all over again. What do we log into, in youtube?

[colorfulriri]

I did mine on my Mobile device and it showed 4 things i could erase data from im pretty sure. They were Google Play Games, Youtube, Gmail, and Google+. I only erased the Google+ data I think but do I have to erase everything else or no?

[justacrazywoman]

This is copied/pasted from Google:

Your YouTube channel will be kept, along with your videos and playlists. You will continue to have access to YouTube. Content displayed on YouTube will be kept, while content only displayed on Google+ about YouTube videos will be deleted. All comments, replies, likes, and dislikes that appear on YouTube will be kept. Any posts about YouTube videos that only appear on Google+ and not on YouTube, including associated comments and +1s, will be deleted.

Deleting your public profile will not affect the status of your Google Account.

[cherrybonbon]

Will it affect my pictures in my Google photo app? I've got everythin there

[patfaturar]

why did Google just deny my review of a business? & say I MUST HAVE A Google+ account to post reviews?

[yuuto]

Would Google+ again restore or its a permanent shut down?
please tell. And thank you for your response.Have a nice day!

[Zahra.alturabi]

does shutting out goodle+ means also deleting youtube and gmail?

[MsMaggyW]

Help... I received an email on my yahoo email telling me to download and save my Google+ stuff because it will be deleted in April. I don't recognize any of the stuff you show in this video and don't have gmail! So why am I getting this?

[AVR_]

How does deleting the Google plus account affect your other accounts that are attached to it? Like YouTube? Also all of the information that you said was exposed, is all public information anyway. If you Google anyone’s name it takes only a few seconds to get all of that information you just said was compromised in the Google plus accounts.

[andrewlinesjah]

As best I can tell, there is a difference between a google account, and a google+ account ?

[Barneyism]

Helpful video - I only wish it were captioned. :-(

[HobbyJoe]

Will i be able to still sign into youtube and get my email alerts to the channels I subscribe too?

[loudmouthandall]

Pretty hilarious that you even have to explain what google plus is.