YouTube Privacy Guidelines

YouTube Privacy Guidelines: Protecting Your Identity

We want you to feel safe when you’re on YouTube. If videos or comments on the site violate your privacy or sense of safety, let us know.

Our privacy guidelines apply to all users across the world. This means that even if a video doesn't break any privacy laws in your country, it might still violate our guidelines. We aim to protect your privacy while balancing public interest and newsworthiness. If you think content violates our Community Guidelines, you can report the content.

What can I report as a privacy violation?

Someone shares your image or full name without your permission:

• Your “image” or “full name” refers to images, audio, video footage, or text that uniquely identify you.

Someone shares other personal info without your permission. This might include your: 

• Contact info. For example,  your home address, email address, or phone number.
• Identification info. For example, your social security number or national ID number.
• Financial info. For example, your credit card number or bank account number.
• Other personal identification info.

Someone uses AI or other tools to alter or generate your voice or image without your permission:

• “Altered” or “synthetic” content is content that looks or sounds like you, but was significantly edited or generated by AI. 
• Learn more about altered or synthetic content and what needs to be disclosed by creators.
• Examples of someone using AI or other tools to alter or generate your voice or image without permission include:
  • Altering content to replace the face of one person with another person’s
  • Simulating audio to make it sound like a person is saying something they have not said

Report a privacy violation

FAQ

What if my concern isn’t about a privacy violation?

If your concern is not a privacy violation, we still want to hear from you. 

Are you experiencing harassment? 

• If someone maliciously posts a video of you or directs insults at you, these actions may be considered harassment. If someone harasses you, report their content.

Does the content violate our Community Guidelines?

• Learn how to report inappropriate videos, channels, and other content.

Did someone copy a video that you created or content that you own? 

• File a copyright complaint.

If you feel that you are in physical danger, be sure to contact your local authorities for more assistance.

How does YouTube decide if content should be removed for a privacy violation?

The individual must be uniquely identifiable in the content. The complaint from the individual or their legal representative must uniquely identify the individual. This can be through a combination of image, voice, full name, government identification number, or other uniquely identifiable info. We also consider public interest, newsworthiness, consent, and whether the information is otherwise publicly available. We reserve the right to make the final decision about whether a violation of our Privacy Guidelines occurred.

What does uniquely identifiable mean?

“Uniquely identifiable” means that there’s enough info in the video that allows others to recognize you. You may be able to identify yourself in the video, but that doesn’t mean that you're uniquely identifiable to others. A first name without additional context, or a fleeting image, would not likely qualify as uniquely identifiable.

How does the privacy process work?

When a privacy complaint is filed, we may give the creator time to remove or edit the private info in their video. During this time, the creator can use the Trim or Blur tools in YouTube Studio to edit the video. If the creator removes the video, we’ll close the complaint. If the potential privacy violation remains on YouTube, we’ll review the complaint.

How do I report a privacy violation?

If someone uses your personal info without your permission, here are ways to report it:

Report content that uses your personal info

You can ask us to remove content that uses your name, photo, or other private details without your consent.

Report AI-generated or other synthetic content that looks or sounds like you

If someone has used AI to alter or create synthetic content that looks or sounds like you, you can ask us to remove it To qualify for removal, the content should show a realistic altered or synthetic version of your likeness. 

When we review your complaint, we'll consider whether:

• The content is altered or synthetic.
• The content is disclosed to viewers as altered or synthetic.
• The person can be uniquely identified.
• The content is realistic.
• The content contains parody, satire, or other public interest value.
• The content features a public figure or well-known individual engaging in a sensitive behavior, such as criminal activity, violence, or endorsing a product or political candidate.

Learn more about altered or synthetic content labels.

Your privacy during the complaint process

We take your privacy seriously. When you report a privacy violation, we won’t share your name or contact info with the person who posted the content. We'll send updates or may request additional info to the email address you provide in the complaint form.

Privacy complaint tips

First-party claims are required

We do not accept claims made on behalf of third parties except when:

• The individual whose privacy is being violated does not have access to a computer or the internet.
• The individual whose privacy is being violated is a vulnerable individual.
• The parent or legal guardian of the individual whose privacy is being violated makes the claim.
• A legal representative for the individual whose privacy is being violated makes the claim.
• A close family member makes the claim for a deceased individual.

We will not accept privacy complaints filed for:

• Other family members. For example, a husband, wife, cousin, brother, or sister.
• Coworkers or employees. Individuals must submit a report themselves.
• A company.

File a complete privacy complaint

• Be clear and concise so that we can identify you in the video.
• Use timestamps to indicate all places where you appear in the video.
• In the description area, specify what you are wearing or doing that differentiates you from others within the video.
• Make sure to include the video URL in your report. If you're reporting an entire channel, you're not required to submit a URL.
• If you are reporting a comment made in the comments section of a video, note it in the description area. Include the commenter's username in the username field.

I received notice of a privacy violation

At our discretion, we may give you an opportunity to remove or edit the private info in your video. In this case, we email you about the potential violation and give you time to act on the complaint. If you remove the alleged violation from the site within this time, we’ll close the filed complaint. If the potential privacy violation remains on the site after this time, we’ll review the complaint.

If we remove your video for a privacy violation, do not upload another version featuring the same people. These people will likely file another privacy complaint or report you for harassment. We're serious about protecting our users and suspend accounts that violate people's privacy.

How can I act on the complaint?

• You can remove the reported content completely from YouTube.
• If someone's full name or other personal info is listed in the title, description, or tags of your video, you can edit the video details.
• You can blur the faces of individuals who appear in the video.  

Incomplete methods of removal are not acceptable and include:

• Making a video private. This isn’t acceptable because you can change the status from private to public at any time.