How To Report Offensive Content On YouTube

How To
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Found a horrible video on YouTube? Here's how you can report it to YouTube's moderators.

YouTube is finally taking a concrete step toward keeping hate speech off its platform. The website recently announced that it has banned videos that promote discrimination -- a move which will likely strike thousands of channels.

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Credit: Tom's Guide

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Unfortunately, YouTube won't be able to take down all of its terrible content overnight. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't start reporting any videos you see that violate its new policy.

Here's how to report offensive content on YouTube. 

How to report a YouTube video, thumbnail, comment or live chat message (computer or mobile):

1. Tap the More icon (it has three dots). You'll find this below the content you're trying to report unless it's a video; then it'll be at the top of the screen, under the Subscribe button. 

2. Select Report and enter the reason for your reporting the content.

To report a YouTube channel (computer only):

1. Go to the page of the channel you want to report.

2. Tap About.

3. Click the flag icon.

4. Select Report User.

What content should I report?

YouTube doesn't permit most things that a reasonable adult would find inappropriate to see on YouTube. This includes pornography, graphic violence, cyberbullying, spam, threats, impersonation, copyright violations, or anything that puts someone in danger. If you're not sure if a video, channel, or comment is permitted, check out YouTube's community guidelines. 

What happens after I report a video?

Your report will be submitted to YouTube's moderators, who will review the content to check whether it violates the site's guidelines. YouTube says that its moderators work 24/7. Don't worry: All reports are anonymous, so the content owner won't know who reported them.

Not everything that's reported is taken down. In some cases, the user will receive a strike. If they get too many strikes in a short period, YouTube may revoke certain privileges or terminate their account.

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Monica Chin

Monica Chin is a writer at The Verge, covering computers. Previously, she was a staff writer for Tom's Guide, where she wrote about everything from artificial intelligence to social media and the internet of things to. She had a particular focus on smart home, reviewing multiple devices. In her downtime, you can usually find her at poetry slams, attempting to exercise, or yelling at people on Twitter.