FightCyberstalking.org - Online Safety and Privacy Tips: Privacy Settings and Safety Tips for Socializing on YouTube

 

For cyberstalking victims, using sites like YouTube can pose a challenge because they may fear their cyberstalker harassing them on the video sharing site. However, there are privacy settings on YouTube that cyberstalking victims can use on the site to make them feel safe and secure. By editing YouTube's privacy settings and profile settings, ensures that cyberstalking victims are not giving out too much information about themselves and also allows them to take advantage of YouTube's privacy settings for maximum privacy protection. The following YouTube settings discussed below will help keep YouTuber's sensitive information private:

• Editing Your Profile
• Editing Your Privacy Settings
• Editing Your Activity Sharing Settings
• Editing Your AutoShare Settings
• Friends That Autoshare
• Editing Module Settings
• Editing Your Comment Settings
• Blocking a User
• Video Privacy Settings
• Editing Video Comment, Video Voting, Video Responses, Ratings, Embedding, and Syndication Settings

 

 

Editing Your Profile

After joining the YouTube site, go to your profile by clicking on your username and clicking on the "My Channel" tab.

Next, click on the "edit" link right next to the words "Profile."

Next, uncheck information that you don't want made public, such as age, last sign in, website, hometown, occupation, etc. Be sure to click save after you've made changes.

If you do add your URL and full name, keep in mind that it may get indexed in the search engines. If your cyberstalker KNOWS websites you own he could find you using YouTube by simply doing a link search for your website(s) on one of the search engines, a back link checker, or by simply typing your full name in the search engine.

 

Editing Your Privacy Settings

Now you should edit your privacy settings. Click on your username and click "Account."

Next, click on "Privacy."

You may want to uncheck "Let others find my channel on YouTube if they have my email address" IF the person cyberstalking you has your email address.

 

If you plan on uploading your own videos to the website, you may wish to delete your video statistics and data.

Editing Your Activity Sharing Settings

Now you'll want to edit your "Activity Sharing" settings. Click on your username and click on "Account."

Now click on the "Activity Sharing" link.

For maximum privacy, you'll want to select "No, do not allow my activities to be viewable."

Don't forget to uncheck the boxes underneath "What activities do I share?" If you leave the boxes checked, this information will be viewable on your profile under the module "Recent Activities." Be sure to click save after you have made changes.

Friends That Autoshare

If you have friends that have a YouTube account and use autoshare, keep in mind that your YouTube channel can be made public by accident. If the person that is cyberstalking you knows who your circle of friends are online, he or she may follow them in hopes of finding you online.

Example autoshare message on Twitter that may show up on a friend's Twitter feed:

And lastly, even if he finds your YouTube channel and they begin to harass you, you can always block them and save the messages on your YouTube account account along with the rest of the harassing messages and take the evidence to your local police department!

 

Editing Module Settings

Next, you'll want to edit the modules on your channel. Go to your channel and click "Modules" and uncheck the modules you do NOT want to show on your channel. Be sure to click "Save Changes" to save your new settings.

 

Editing Your Comment Settings

If you'd like to leave the comment module on your channel BUT want comments to be published on an approval basis, you can do so by clicking on the "Edit" link to the right of "Channel Comments."

 

Once you've clicked on the edit link, select "Everyone can only comment with approval." Don't forget to save changes to save your new setting. If you don't feel comfortable choosing that setting, you can always select "Only friends can comment" or opt out of having the comment module from showing on your channel. See edit module settings for more information on how to deselect the comment module.

 

 

Blocking a User

If someone is harassing you on YouTube, you can always block the person by going to their channel and clicking on the "Block User" link.

 

 

Video Privacy Settings

If you want to upload videos and make them only available to friends and family members, you can do so by editing the "Info & Settings" while you're uploading your video.

You'll want to scroll down to where it says "Broadcasting and Sharing Options." Underneath "Privacy" select "Unlisted."

YouTube.com states: Unlisted means that only people who know the link to the video can view it. The video will not appear in any of YouTube's public spaces, such as search results, your channel, or the Browse page, but the link can be shared with anyone.

 

Editing Video Comment, Video Voting, Video Responses, Ratings, Embedding, and Syndication Settings

Scroll down from "Broadcasting and Sharing Options" to edit the comment settings, video voting, video responses, ratings, and syndication settings. For maximum privacy, adjust your settings to the following:

• Don't allow comments
• Don't allow comment voting
• No, don't allow video responses
• No, don't allow this video to be rated

 

 

YouTube Safety Tips

To socialize and navigate on the YouTube community safely, you'll want to:

• Avoid clicking on redirect links from users you don't trust. Usually redirect links are from spammers who will attempt to redirect you to a virus! Make sure you only click on links from users you know and trust.
• Be extremely cautious when it comes to revealing any personal information publically, such as your email address, phone number, home address, and your work address.