Tips for staying safe online

Phishing

Phishing is the process of tricking someone into giving up their personal information such as credit card numbers, social security/national ID numbers, or other financial data. Usually when they have that information, they'll then use it to steal your money, property or identity.

Remember, YouTube will never ask you for your password, email address, or other account information. Don't be fooled if someone contacts you pretending to be from YouTube!

 

If you find videos on YouTube that you think might be spam or phishing, please flag them for review by the YouTube team.

For more information on spam and phishing please visit the National Cyber Security Alliance.

If you're concerned that your Google account may have been compromised, please visit the following page.

Account Security

YouTube takes appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorized access to the information we store. Please read the Google Privacy Policy for more information.

Please keep in mind that it is up to you to keep your password secure. You should NEVER share your password with others.

Keep your account safe:

We’ve created an easy-to-use checklist to help you secure your computer, browser, Gmail, and Google Account. We encourage you to go through the entire checklist, but want to highlight the following steps that can help you keep your YouTube channel secure.

• Add a recovery phone number and secondary secure email to your Google account. Not having both a phone number and a secure email means your account could be accessed by someone who knows or guesses the answer to your security question. You can update security information here.
• Keep your recovery information secure and up-to-date.
• Create a unique, strong password for your Google Account (and don’t use the same login and password for other sites). Here are some tips to help you create a strong password:
  • Your password should be at least eight characters in length, combine numbers and letters, and not include commonly used words.
  • Select a word or acronym and insert numbers between some of the letters.
  • Include punctuation marks.
  • Mix capital and lowercase letters.
  • Don't reuse passwords associated with any other type of account.
  • If your account has been set up for a company or organization review and update your password and recovery information when a staffer leaves your company.

If you feel your account has been compromised, you can report it here.

Learn more about how to avoid and report Google scams.

Google Safety Center

Understand your data on Google and on the web. Avail of some advice and tips for controlling your data and staying secure online.

Google Digital Citizenship Curriculum

An interactive and user-friendly curriculum aimed at teachers and secondary schools students. Learn about privacy, policy, and how to be a responsible cyber citizen in a few short lessons.

Google Family Safety Center

Tips and advice for keeping your family safe online.