YouTube bans 'Instructional hacking and phishing' videos

2 min. read

Published on July 4, 2019

published on July 4, 2019

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In an effort to give a boost to the content policing system, YouTube recently marked Instructional hacking and phishing videos as harmful and dangerous content.

The Google-owned company updated its list of harmful and dangerous content a day before yesterday, in which the company mentioned that videos that show how to bypass secure computer systems or steal user credentials and personal data will be pulled from the platform. If YouTube spots anything that promotes instructional hacking, it will send a warning to the creator of the channel, with no penalty to the channel. However, if anyone goes on to repeat the same mistake, it will lead to a permanent ban. You can read YouTube’s strike system here.

It’s worth noting that creators who are creating ethical hacking courses that are mainly educational will be exempted and is not likely to receive any warning from YouTube, and will definitely not face any ban.

If you’re a YouTube creator, you should keep yourself away from creating content that shows,

Extremely dangerous challenges: Challenges that pose an imminent risk of physical injury.
Dangerous or threatening pranks: Pranks that lead victims to fear imminent serious physical danger, or that create serious emotional distress in minors.
Instructions to kill or harm: Showing viewers how to perform activities meant to kill or maim others, such as providing instructions on how to build a bomb meant to injure or kill people.
Hard drug use or creation: Content that depicts people abusing controlled substances such as cocaine or opioids, or content providing instructions on how to create drugs. Hard drugs are defined as drugs that can (mostly) lead to physical addiction.
Eating Disorders: Content in which people suffering from anorexia or other eating disorders are praised for weight loss, are bragging about it, or are encouraging others to imitate the behavior.
Violent Events: Promoting or glorifying violent tragedies, such as school shootings.
Instructional theft: Showing users how to steal money or tangible goods.
Instructional hacking and phishing: Showing users how to bypass secure computer systems or steal user credentials and personal data.