Creating on YouTube lets you share your voice
and build connections with your audience.
But as your channel grows
you may encounter situations that leave you feeling uncomfortable, vulnerable, or unsafe.
This could be harmful comments or chats
account impersonation or hijacking attempts
or, in extreme cases, even threats of violence.
We want to make sure all creators feel equipped to handle unwanted behavior
so that you can maintain a healthy relationship with your audience
and continue to share authentically.
In this video
we'll cover two main aspects of staying safe as a creator on YouTube.
We'll first walk through a safety checklist
of proactive, preventative steps you can take at any point in your creator journey.
Then, we'll cover steps you can take and resources to support you
in the event that an incident does occur and you need help.
First, how can you proactively ensure that you and your account stay safe on YouTube?
We'll cover how to help mitigate account hijacking
harmful comments, doxxing, and overstepping boundaries.
First, let's start with some crucial basics around account security
that all creators should implement.
Turn on 2-Step Verification.
With 2-Step Verification
you'll have a second layer of sign-in security
which is a hugely important step in preventing hacks.
Use a separate email just for your channel
and create a strong password that you don't share with anyone.
Consider turning on Advanced Protection.
You can find more info on how to use Advanced Protection
in our Help Center.
And beware of phishing scams.
Be careful when anyone asks you to click any links
or sign in to your account.
Check out myaccount.google.com/security-checkup
for more on how to strengthen your online security.
Next, comment moderation.
To help prevent hurtful comments, consider creating a blocked words list.
With a blocked words list
you can prohibit comments containing specific words
from showing up in your comments section.
You can also block your real name, address, and other personal information
to prevent it from being discussed.
To create the list, go to Studio, then Settings, and then Community.
For live chat, you can also turn on
the "Hold potentially inappropriate chat messages for review" setting.
Chats that might be inappropriate will be held for your review
and won't be posted until you approve them.
To set comment and chat defaults for all your videos moving forward
go to YouTube Studio, then Settings, then Community, then Defaults.
Next, be vigilant about what you share.
Of course, every creator is different and will have different boundaries.
But once something is out there, it's out there forever.
Many creators have told us that
information they shared when they were a small channel
was not something they were comfortable sharing with a large audience.
People can piece together information about you
even if you think it isn't noticeable in your content.
Here are some things you may want to do to prevent someone from doxxing you
or publishing your private or identifying information.
Don't use your real name for your channel name.
Avoid discussing where you live, work, or places you and your loved ones frequent.
Check to see if there's anything in your content
that might accidentally give away this information.
Look for things like street signs, house numbers, or pieces of mail
before sharing your video.
Use a blurring effect on sensitive information.
You can do this with your own editing software
or by using the video editor tool in YouTube Studio.
If someone does publicly share your private information
follow our Privacy Complaint Process in our Help Center.
Finally, it can be helpful to draw boundaries with your audience.
Parasocial relationships are ones
where some fans may feel very close to you or like they know you
even though you may not know them.
But just like in any relationship
boundaries are an important part of maintaining a healthy connection
with your audience
and preventing incidents before they arise.
Here are some things to help you establish boundaries with your audience.
Determine how much of your life you want to share.
If you share details about your private life, kids, family, and friends
or feature them on camera
it can come as a shock when they become the subject of comments
or worse, targets for abusers or trolls.
Be clear with your audience
and let them know what feels comfortable to you.
You can find a full account security checklist
and more information about moderation tools
in the Creator Safety Center.
These proactive steps should help you prevent unwanted interactions
on your channel.
However, unwanted behaviors or incidents may still happen
even with all of these preventative safety measures in place.
So now, let's go through what to do when an incident does occur
and you need help.
Remember that if you or someone you know is in immediate danger
contact police or your local crisis helpline immediately.
Let's walk through what to do if you've been hijacked
if someone is impersonating you or your channel
if you're experiencing threats or violence
and how to care for yourself and your wellbeing.
First, what you can do if your account has been hijacked.
First, try to recover your Google Account.
If you can still sign in to your account, complete an account security checkup
at myaccount.google.com/security-checkup.
If you can't sign in
go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery
and follow the steps.
Then, follow the prompts to change your password.
For more info
check out our "Fix a Hacked YouTube Account" Help Center article
linked in the description.
If you're in the YouTube Partner Program
you can also report it to us.
Tap your profile icon, then Help, then Contact us.
Once you get your account back
immediately take steps to secure your account.
Review your channel permission settings to see who has access to your account
and remove anyone who shouldn't have that access.
And check your videos' privacy settings
to make sure hijackers haven't made videos you don't want shared public.
Next, what can you do if someone is impersonating you?
Impersonation is when someone copies another channel's content
profile, background, or overall look and feel
in such a way that makes it look like someone else's channel.
If someone is impersonating you or your channel
here's what you can do to protect yourself and your viewers.
Report the impersonating channel to us.
Go to the channel page you want to report
click About, then Report.
If you're a creator in the YouTube Partner Program
you can also contact support.
To avoid viewer confusion, you can block them in your comments
by clicking the 3-dot menu next to their comment
then "Hide user from channel."
To further protect your viewers from scams or being misled
you can also block comments with links.
To do this, go to YouTube Studio, then Settings, then Community.
Under the Automated Filters tab, select "Block links."
We take threats of violence or physical harm extremely seriously at YouTube.
Here's what to do if someone threatens to hurt you.
If you're in immediate danger or if someone is stalking you
contact police or your local crisis helpline immediately.
Once you're physically safe
you can report any YouTube channel, comments, and/or chats to us
that were related to the threat.
It helps to document all evidence.
You can take screenshots of what's happening on YouTube
related to the incident.
We also know that there may be times
when interactions leave you feeling afraid, isolated, or stressed.
Here are some tips to help you process these difficult situations.
Check in with your emotions.
In times of stress, consider what you need to feel grounded and safe.
Talk to friends or family who know you in real life.
Reassess your boundaries with your audience.
And take a break to manage your digital wellbeing.
If you feel like you need even more support, consider reaching out
to additional resources linked in the description.
The creator experience is unique, but you're not alone.
Whether you need preventative safety measures
or support after an unwanted incident
you can find help in the Creator Safety Center.
For more information and resources, check out the links in the description.
We hope they help make your creator journey smoother and safer
so you can focus on what you love most —sharing your voice with the world.
Thanks for watching.