Media/Video Submissions: Tips for Online Safety

Here are some things to think on and suggestions on how protect yourself BEFORE you upload your content.

Do you enjoy making short videos or movies? If you do, you will love YouTube. YouTube is an online video sharing website that lets internet users upload videos that they create to the website, where they can be viewed by others. Although it is fun and exciting to make and share your own videos through YouTube, you will want to display some caution when doing so. Posting videos on YouTube, and online in general, can be dangerous, especially if done without safety in mind.

One of the most important safety tips that you need to remember is to protect your identity. In your videos, be sure to not mention your full name. You might even consider creating a “pen name” or false name for the sake of the video. You also want to make sure you don’t mention your address in any of your videos. While mentioning what city or town you are in might seem harmless, you may want to rethink that as well. There are a large number of very resourceful internet users whom, with the right information, can easily find out private information about you and identify your exact location.

YouTube is also a useful tool for social networking as they allow you to rate, leave comments, or talk about YouTube videos with other internet users. If you talk with certain members enough, you may end up developing a close online friendship with them. Still, it is advised that you keep the previously mentioned safety tips in mind; do not give out any of your personal information. Whenever you use the internet, whether you are using YouTube or not, you need to remember that it is difficult, if not impossible, to verify who is sitting behind the computer screen on the other end of your conversation. No matter what online exchanges take place, you will want to protect your identity.

You should also take caution with what you post online. If you are making a video of yourself and your friends, make sure that all of the people appearing in the video know what your intentions are throughout the process. If you have a video that you shot candidly, you need to use your best judgment. You want to be cautious of infringing upon anyone’s privacy, as it may not only reflect negatively on you, but it may also land you in hot water. When creating your videos, also be sure to use all original content unless you have permission to do so otherwise. Using content that is not yours could be a violation of copyright. In most cases, with videos uploaded to YouTube, the content will simply be pulled, but in rare instances, you may be faced with legal action.

In all honesty, most situations will require that you use your best judgment. Should you feel uncomfortable doing something, such as creating a video and uploading it to YouTube, you are advised to listen to your gut, as it is often the best sign of trouble to come.