5 best ways to secure your YouTube channel (2023)

It is more important than ever to secure your YouTube channel. With its immense popularity, it has become the go-to platform for content creators wanting to showcase their videos. Creating quality content is a time-consuming process, and the last thing you want is for it to be compromised or banned due to inadequate security measures.

These days, security measures are made to be user-friendly, and thus pretty easy to implement. In this article, we will discuss five effective ways to secure your YouTube channel and protect your content. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced content creator, it's worth ensuring you secure your YouTube channel in 2023.

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Top 5 ways to secure your YouTube channel

1) Creating a strong password

One vital way to secure your YouTube channel from getting hacked is by creating a strong password. It must contain a combination of capital letters, small letters, numbers, and special characters. Here are some best practices for creating a password:

1. It should not contain any names or words.
2. It should not contain any date of significance (date of birth, holidays, etc.)
3. It should not contain any alphabets or numbers in order (abcd, 1234, etc.)

A completely random set of numbers, letters, and special characters makes for the strongest passwords. If you tend to forget your password, you could try a trusted password manager. Also, remember to change your password every three months or so.

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2) Enabling two-factor authentication

After setting up a strong password, enabling two-factor authentication is another crucial way to secure your YouTube channel. Two-factor authentication or 2FA is a security feature that requires you to enter a code sent to your phone, email, or 2FA app while logging in to a new device.

You can activate two-factor authentication on your Google account by following these steps:

1. Go to the Google Sign-in & Security page.
2. Click on "2-Step Verification" under the "Signing in to Google" section.
3. Click on the "Get Started" button and enter your Google account password when prompted.
4. Enter your phone number and choose whether you want to receive verification codes via text message or a phone call.
5. Enter the verification code that you received on your phone and click "Next".
6. You will be prompted to turn on "Google Authenticator" as your second factor. Choose your preferred option and follow the prompts to set it up.

That's it, your Google account will now be protected with two-factor authentication, via the Google Authenticator app.

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3) Reviewing permissions frequently

If you work with other people on your channel, it's essential to limit access to only those who need it. You can do this by adding them as YouTube editors or managers instead of giving them full access. You can also revoke access at any time if someone no longer needs it. To edit the permissions on your YouTube channel, follow these steps:

1. Open YouTube and sign in to your account.
2. Click on your profile picture located at the top right corner of the screen.
3. Select "YouTube Studio" from the drop-down menu.
4. From the left-hand side menu, select "Settings."
5. Click on "Permissions."
6. Find the user whose access you want to edit and click on the three dots located on the right side of their name.
7. Select "Edit" from the drop-down menu.
8. Change the level of access as desired or click on "Remove" to revoke their access.
9. Click on "Save" to apply the changes.

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4) Doing regular security checks

Google account Security Checkup (Image via Sportskeeda)

Google has an automated security checkup tool that alerts users about any security risks. It will help you secure your YouTube channel from any possible threats. To use the Security Checkup feature, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Google account on any web browser.
2. Click on your profile picture located at the top right corner of the screen.
3. Select "Google Account" from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on the "Security" tab located on the left-hand side of the screen.
5. Under the "Security" section, click on the "Security Checkup" button.
6. Follow the prompts to review your account's security settings.
7. Based on the results of the Security Checkup, you may be prompted to take additional steps to improve your account's security (changing your password, enabling two-factor authentication, etc.)
8. After reviewing and addressing any issues, click on the "Done" button to complete the security checkup.

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5) Using copyright-free content

Another way to secure your YouTube channel is by using copyright-free content. Everyone needs to add pictures, video clips, and audio clips and effects to their YouTube videos. If you unknowingly use copyrighted content, your videos might get demonetized or deleted, or your channel might receive a copyright strike.

Here are a few best practices to secure your YouTube channel from copyright-related issues:

1. Use reputable sources: When searching for copyright-free content, use reputable sources such as the Creative Commons website or other platforms that offer copyright-free content.
2. Verify the terms of use. Even if the content is copyright-free, there may be restrictions on how you can use it. Make sure to read and understand the terms of use before using any content.
3. If the content creator requires attribution, make sure to give proper credit in your video description or within the video itself. This is not only a legal requirement but also helps you build a relationship with the content creator.
4. Be careful not to use copyrighted material in your videos, even if it is only a small portion. Always check if the content is copyrighted before using it.
5. If you want to use copyrighted material, you may be able to use it under the fair use doctrine.

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By following these best practices, you can secure your YouTube channel. This guide will help your YouTube channel get ready for the long run and secure your precious content.