Privacy guidelines apply to all users worldwide, beyond local privacy law
YouTube says its privacy guidelines apply to all users across the world. A video can therefore violate the guidelines even where it breaks no privacy law in the user's own country. YouTube says it aims to balance protecting privacy with public interest and newsworthiness.
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Our privacy guidelines apply to all users across the world.
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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The balance with public interest and newsworthiness is stated as an aim ('We aim to'), not a guarantee.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
You can report videos or comments that violate your privacy or sense of safety
YouTube invites people to tell it when videos or comments on the site violate their privacy or sense of safety. Separately, if someone thinks content violates the Community Guidelines, they can use the general content-reporting route.
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If videos or comments on the site violate your privacy or sense of safety, let us know.
The Community Guidelines and the general reporting steps are on linked pages that were not supplied with this document.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
Sharing your image or full name without permission can be reported as a privacy violation
Someone sharing your image or full name without your permission is listed as something you can report. YouTube defines 'image' and 'full name' here as images, audio, video footage, or text that uniquely identify you, so material that does not uniquely identify you is outside this definition.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The definition covers images, audio, video footage, or text only to the extent they uniquely identify you.
Sharing other personal information without permission can be reported
Beyond your image and name, YouTube lists other personal information shared without your permission as reportable. Its examples are contact information (home address, email address, phone number), identification information (social security or national ID number), financial information (credit card or bank account number), and other personal identification information. The list is introduced as what the category 'might include', so it is a set of examples rather than a closed list.
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Someone shares other personal info without your permission. This might include your:
your home address, email address, or phone number
your social security number or national ID number
your credit card number or bank account number
Other personal identification info.
Qualifications & exceptions
The list is introduced with 'This might include', so it is illustrative.
Not stated here
What else counts as 'other personal identification info' is not defined on this page.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
Using AI or other tools to alter or generate your voice or image without permission can be reported
YouTube lists content as reportable when someone uses AI or other tools to alter or generate your voice or image without your permission. It describes altered or synthetic content as content that looks or sounds like you but was significantly edited or generated by AI. Its examples are replacing one person's face with another person's and simulating audio so a person seems to say something they have not said.
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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
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
Qualifications & exceptions
The definition refers to content that was 'significantly' edited or generated by AI; lighter edits are not described as covered.
Not stated here
What creators must disclose about altered or synthetic content is on a linked page that was not supplied.
If your concern is not a privacy violation, harassment and Community Guidelines reports are other routes
YouTube says it still wants to hear from you when a concern is not a privacy violation. It points to reporting harassment, which it describes as someone maliciously posting a video of you or directing insults at you, and to reporting inappropriate videos, channels and other content under the Community Guidelines.
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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
The copyright complaint requirements are on a linked page that was not supplied.
Security & Safeguards · Context
If you feel in physical danger, contact local authorities
YouTube tells people who feel they are in physical danger to contact their local authorities for more help. It places this as advice outside its privacy and reporting routes.
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If you feel that you are in physical danger, be sure to contact your local authorities for more assistance.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Removal requires that the person is uniquely identifiable and the complaint identifies them
For content to 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 also uniquely identify them, which can be through a combination of image, voice, full name, government identification number, or other uniquely identifiable information.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
Identification is described as 'a combination' of identifying details, not any single detail.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): Complaints on behalf of third parties are accepted only in five listed situations — contrast: The removal-decision text describes the complaint as coming from the individual or their legal representative, while the first-party section lists further accepted third-party filers (no internet access, vulnerable individual, parent or guardian, close family member of a deceased individual). The page does not reconcile the two descriptions.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Uniquely identifiable means others could recognize you, not only that you can
YouTube explains that 'uniquely identifiable' means the video contains enough information for other people to recognize you. Being able to identify yourself in a video does not make you uniquely identifiable to others. A first name without additional context, or a fleeting image, would not likely qualify.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
'Would not likely qualify' is probabilistic; the text does not say a first name or fleeting image can never qualify.
YouTube also weighs public interest, newsworthiness, consent and public availability
Besides identifiability, YouTube says it considers public interest, newsworthiness, consent, and whether the information is otherwise publicly available when deciding whether content should be removed for a privacy violation.
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How does YouTube decide if content should be removed for a privacy violation?
We also consider public interest, newsworthiness, consent, and whether the information is otherwise publicly available.
Qualifications & exceptions
The factors are listed as things YouTube 'considers'; the page gives no weighting or threshold.
Not stated here
How the factors are weighed against each other is not described.
YouTube reserves the final decision on whether a violation occurred
YouTube reserves the right to make the final decision about whether its Privacy Guidelines were violated.
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We reserve the right to make the final decision about whether a violation of our Privacy Guidelines occurred.
Not stated here
This page does not say whether a decision can be appealed or reconsidered.
Content & IP Rights · Procedure
After a complaint, the creator may be given time to remove or edit the content
When a privacy complaint is filed, YouTube may give the creator time to remove or edit the private information in the video, including with the Trim or Blur tools in YouTube Studio. If the creator removes the video, YouTube closes the complaint. If the potential violation remains on YouTube, YouTube reviews the complaint.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
Giving the creator time is optional ('may'); this passage names removal of the video as the event that closes the complaint.
Not stated here
The length of the time given to the creator is not stated here.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
You can ask YouTube to remove content that uses your personal info without your consent
If someone uses your personal information without your permission, YouTube offers ways to report it, including asking it to remove content that uses your name, photo, or other private details without your consent. Whether content is actually removed depends on how YouTube decides these complaints: the person must be uniquely identifiable, and YouTube also considers public interest, newsworthiness, consent and whether the information is otherwise publicly available.
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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.
How does YouTube decide if content should be removed for a privacy violation?
The individual must be uniquely identifiable in the content.
We also consider public interest, newsworthiness, consent, and whether the information is otherwise publicly available.
Your “image” or “full name” refers to images, audio, video footage, or text that uniquely identify you.
Qualifications & exceptions
A request to remove content is not a guarantee of removal: the person must be uniquely identifiable and YouTube weighs public interest, newsworthiness, consent and public availability.
Elsewhere on the page 'image' and 'full name' are defined as material that uniquely identifies you; this passage lists 'name, photo, or other private details'.
Not stated here
The page does not say how long a removal request takes to decide.
Content & IP Rights · User right or choice
You can ask YouTube to remove AI-altered or synthetic content that looks or sounds like you
If someone used AI to alter or create synthetic content that looks or sounds like you, you can ask YouTube to remove it. To qualify, the content should show a realistic altered or synthetic version of your likeness.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
Qualifying for removal requires realism ('realistic altered or synthetic version'); the text says the content 'should' show this.
Content & IP Rights · Company practice
For synthetic-content complaints, YouTube considers six factors
When YouTube reviews a complaint about AI-altered or synthetic content, it says it will consider whether the content is altered or synthetic, whether it is disclosed to viewers as altered or synthetic, whether the person can be uniquely identified, whether it is realistic, whether it contains parody, satire or other public interest value, and whether it 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.
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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
Learn more about altered or synthetic content and what needs to be
Qualifications & exceptions
These are things YouTube 'will consider'; the page does not say how any factor cuts, for example whether disclosure or parody makes removal more or less likely.
Not stated here
How the factors are weighed and what the linked pages on labels and creator disclosure require were not supplied.
YouTube does not share your name or contact info with the person who posted the content
When you report a privacy violation, YouTube says it will not share your name or contact info with the person who posted the content. It will send updates, or may ask for more information, at the email address you give in the complaint form.
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Your privacy during the complaint process
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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The commitment names one recipient group, the person who posted the content.
Not stated here
The page does not say whether the name or contact info is shared with anyone else, or in other circumstances.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception
Complaints on behalf of third parties are accepted only in five listed situations
YouTube requires first-party claims: it does not accept privacy claims made on behalf of third parties except when the person whose privacy is violated has no access to a computer or the internet, is a vulnerable individual, or when their parent or legal guardian, or a legal representative, makes the claim, or a close family member makes the claim for a deceased individual.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
Five exceptions are listed; any other third-party claim is outside the rule as written.
Not stated here
'Vulnerable individual' and 'close family member' are not defined, and the page does not say what proof a third party must give.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Restriction or exception
Privacy complaints are not accepted for other family members, coworkers or employees, or a company
YouTube says it will not accept privacy complaints filed for other family members (for example a husband, wife, cousin, brother or sister), for coworkers or employees (who must submit a report themselves), or for a company.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The family-member bar sits beside the exceptions for a parent or legal guardian and for a close family member of a deceased individual.
Not stated here
The page does not say how the 'other family members' bar applies to a vulnerable individual or to someone without internet access.
A complete privacy complaint identifies you, where you appear and the video URL
YouTube lists what to include in a privacy complaint: be clear and concise so it can identify you in the video, use timestamps for every place you appear, describe in the description area what you are wearing or doing that differentiates you from others in the video, and include the video URL. If you are reporting an entire channel, you are not required to submit a URL.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The items are written as tips for a complete complaint; the page does not say a complaint missing one will be rejected.
Content & IP Rights · Procedure
To report a comment, note it in the description and give the commenter's username
If you are reporting a comment in a video's comments section, YouTube asks you to note it in the description area and to include the commenter's username in the username field.
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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.
Content & IP Rights · Procedure
If you receive notice, YouTube may give you time to remove or edit the content
This section addresses people who receive notice of a privacy violation. At its discretion, YouTube may give you an opportunity to remove or edit the private info in your video: it emails you about the potential violation and gives you time to act on the complaint. If you remove the alleged violation from the site within that time, it closes the complaint. If the potential violation remains after that time, it reviews the complaint.
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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.
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.
When a privacy complaint is filed, we may give the creator time to remove or edit the private info in their video.
Qualifications & exceptions
Giving the creator an opportunity is discretionary ('may'), and closure applies to removing the alleged violation within the time given.
Not stated here
The length of the time given is not stated.
Cross-references
qualifies (model-proposed): After a complaint, the creator may be given time to remove or edit the content — qualifies: The notice section states closure in terms of removing the alleged violation within the time given, while the process section names removal of the video; both describe the same discretionary opportunity.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
After a removal, do not upload another version featuring the same people
If YouTube removes your video for a privacy violation, it tells you not to upload another version featuring the same people. It says those people will likely file another privacy complaint or report you for harassment.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The consequence stated here is a likely further complaint or harassment report by those people; the account-suspension statement is a separate sentence.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
YouTube says it suspends accounts that violate people's privacy
YouTube says it is serious about protecting its users and suspends accounts that violate people's privacy.
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We're serious about protecting our users and suspend accounts that violate people's privacy.
Not stated here
The page does not say how many or which violations lead to suspension, or whether warnings come first.
Content & IP Rights · Procedure
Creators can act on a complaint by removing the content, editing details, or blurring faces
To act on a complaint, a creator can remove the reported content completely from YouTube, edit the video details if someone's full name or other personal info is listed in the title, description or tags, or blur the faces of individuals who appear in the video.
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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
Editing video details applies where a name or other personal info is listed in the title, description or tags.
Content & IP Rights · Restriction or exception
Making a video private is not an acceptable way to remove the violation
YouTube says incomplete methods of removal are not acceptable. It names making a video private as one, because the status can be changed from private to public at any time.
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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.
Qualifications & exceptions
The list is introduced with 'include'; only one incomplete method is named in the supplied text.