# Someone Posted My Photo on YouTube: How to Get It Removed > Your photo on YouTube without consent? Save the watch link, then choose privacy complaint, harassment report or copyright removal. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/someone-posted-my-photo-on-youtube-how-to-get-it-removed - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-11-09 - Topics: YouTube, Content removal, Malaysia - Related service: Social media content removal: https://www.awarexone.com/social-media-recovery/social-media-content-removal ## Short answer Save the video link and dated screenshots first. If the YouTube targets you, report under hate and harassment or YouTube privacy tools. If they reposted your picture as content, file a copyright report with proof you own it. Block the account. YouTube decides what comes down. ## Summary - A photo used to ridicule or expose you usually fits harassment or privacy reports; a simple repost may fit copyright if you own the image. - Save links and screenshots before you report, because posters often delete videos once they notice complaints. - YouTube's bullying prevention page bars posting personal information to cause harm; privacy rules restrict sharing private imagery without consent. - Copyright reports need ownership proof and may share complaint details with the uploader, unlike standard harassment reports. - Do not repost the video to warn people or pay anyone who promises a quick takedown. - YouTube makes the final decision. Someone put your face on YouTube without your okay. It might be a cruel edit, a profile built from stolen Instagram photos, or a video that crops your picture into a meme. The report depends on what they do with the image, not only that it is yours. Targeting you, exposing contact details and reposting your work need different YouTube routes. Evidence comes first. This guide compares privacy, harassment and copyright paths, lists preparation steps, flags reactions that spread your photo, and covers Malaysian escalation. Last checked: 9 November 2026. ## Quick Answer Copy the link and take dated screenshots before you tap Report. If the video targets you or shows private details, use hate and harassment in the app or YouTube bullying guidance. If they reposted your picture as content and you own it, use YouTube copyright reporting with proof. You can also use YouTube privacy portal forms when private information is exposed. YouTube decides every outcome. > Warning: **If the video threatens you.** If a video or its comments threaten violence, share your home address, or involve intimate images or a child, put your safety first. Contact the police or emergency services before you deal with the report. YouTube's [Community Guidelines on safety and civility](https://www.youtube.com/community-guidelines/en/safety-civility) say it reports specific, credible and imminent threats to human life to law enforcement, but do not wait for that to happen. ## Does YouTube Allow Someone to Post Your Photo Without Consent? Often no when the post harms you. YouTube bullying prevention guidance bars posting personal information to cause harm and degrading a specific person. Its privacy rules restrict sharing private imagery without consent. A neutral repost of a photo you created may instead be a copyright question if you hold the rights. YouTube still decides each report on its facts. - Content that degrades, mocks or attacks a specific person. - Encouraging others to leave abusive comments or to falsely report an account. - Posting, or threatening to post, someone's personal information to cause harm (doxing). - Sexual harassment, such as sexual jokes aimed at someone, comments about their body, or revealing details of their sex life. There are two limits you should know before you report. First, YouTube says content with lower-severity degrading behaviour may simply stop being recommended in the For You feed rather than be removed, unless there is more context, such as the target being under 18. Second, YouTube allows more critical commentary about public figures, meaning adults with a significant public role, than about private people. Even for public figures, it says it still removes doxing, sexual harassment and violent threats. So a video that names you and invites people to insult you has a stronger case than one that criticises something you said in public. Lawful criticism you dislike will usually stay up, and it is worth being honest with yourself about which one you are facing. ## Save the Evidence Before You Report or Block Capture everything first. If YouTube removes the video, or the poster deletes it, the link stops working and you lose your proof. You may need that proof later for an appeal, an MCMC report, the police or a lawyer. *Evidence checklist for a harassing YouTube video. Keep the files in one folder and do not edit the screenshots.* | What to save | How to capture it | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | | The video link | Tap "Share", copy the link, and paste it into a note with the date | YouTube, MCMC and the police all need the exact video | | The poster's handle and profile link | Open the profile and copy its link, and write down the @username exactly | Usernames can change, so the profile link helps tie the videos together | | Screenshots of the video and caption | Screenshot with your phone's clock visible, or a screen recording of the video playing | Shows what was said and when, even after removal | | Harmful comments and stitches | Screenshot each comment with the commenter's username, and save links to Duets or Stitches that repeat it | Shows the pile-on, and YouTube lists encouraging abusive comments as bullying | | Report confirmations | Screenshot each confirmation and any reply in your YouTube inbox | Proves you used the platform's own route first | | Your own timeline | A short dated note of when you found it, who sent it to you and what happened offline | Helps the police or a lawyer understand the pattern | Keep the record private. Do not repost the video to show people what happened, because each copy spreads it further. Our [harassment evidence checklist](https://www.awarexone.com/research/collect-evidence-before-reporting-harassment) goes into more detail on capturing proof that holds up. ## How to Report the Video Inside the YouTube App The in-app report is the main route, and it works worldwide. YouTube's bullying prevention page sets out the path below. Menu labels can vary slightly with app version, language and region. 1. Open the video in the YouTube app and press and hold it. You can also tap the "Share" button. 2. Tap "Report". 3. Tap "Hate and harassment". 4. Tap "Harassment and bullying". 5. Select "I have been bullied or harassed" if it is about you, or "Someone I know has been bullied or harassed" if you are reporting for a friend or your child. 6. Add more information if YouTube asks for it, then tap "Submit". On a computer, YouTube's help page on [reporting a post](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7636676986282449428) says to hover over the "More options" (three dots) button on the video, click "Report", choose a reason and submit. Pick the reason that honestly describes the video. A wrong category can send your report to the wrong review queue. ## Report the Account and the Comments Too If the same account posts several videos about you, report the account as well as each video. The bullying prevention page describes the path: go to the profile, tap the arrow at the top, tap "Report", then "Report account", select "Something else", then "Hate and harassment" and "Harassment and bullying". Comments can be reported one by one: press and hold the comment, tap "Report" and choose a reason. If the abuse is under your own video, YouTube's page on [reporting comments](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7543897462705281592) says you can select up to 100 comments at once through "Manage multiple comments" and report them together. ## Block, Filter and Limit Who Can Reach You Once your evidence is saved and your reports are in, protect your own space. These tools do not remove the video for other people, but they stop it reaching you. YouTube's help page on [blocking someone](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7543897460691851781) says a blocked account cannot view your posts, find your profile in search or message you, and that the person is not notified. - Block the poster, and any accounts leading the pile-on in your comments. YouTube lets you block several commenters at once from your video's comments. - Filter comments and keywords, so words used against you are hidden on your posts. - Limit who can comment, Duet and Stitch your videos, and who can send you messages. - Consider making your account private for a while, so new viewers cannot dig through your older posts. YouTube's bullying prevention page says it offers settings to manage comments, messages, Duet and Stitch, and notes they can vary by age and location. Block after you have copied the poster's profile link, because finding the profile again later is harder. ## Other YouTube Routes: Help Centre, Privacy Portal and Child Cases If the in-app report does not fit, YouTube has other doors. Its page on [reporting another issue](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7611806801709029899) points to "Chat with us" in the app's Help Center (Profile, then the Menu button, then "Settings and privacy", then "Help Center") and to its [online reporting form](https://www.youtube.com/legal/report/feedback). YouTube's [privacy portal](https://www.youtube.com/legal/report/privacy) also has a form to report a privacy violation, which fits when the video exposes your personal information. The same help page links a separate [cyberbullying webform](https://report-cyberbullying-youtube-us.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) for content that bullies someone under 18. The form appears to be set up for the United States, so it may not suit a report worldwide. For a Malaysian child, use the in-app report, choose "Someone I know has been bullied or harassed", and talk to the school. YouTube's guidelines say it may remove lower-severity content when it targets someone under 18. Our guide to [a viral video of your child](https://www.awarexone.com/research/remove-viral-video-of-my-child) covers that situation in full. ## When to Go to MCMC or the Police in Malaysia Go beyond YouTube when the video threatens you, exposes your personal details, keeps coming back, or YouTube leaves up something that clearly breaks its own rules. The Online Safety Act 2025 has been in force since 1 January 2026, according to [MCMC's page for the Act](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/legal/acts/communications-and-multimedia-amendment-act-20-1). MCMC's [Online Safety Act page](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/onsa/home) says licensed platforms must give users a way to report harmful content, and it lists "Harassment or Abusive Content", described as content that threatens, intimidates, or causes distress or alarm, as something that can be reported. *Where to take a harassing YouTube video in Malaysia. General information, not legal advice.* | Situation | Where to go | What to bring | | --- | --- | --- | | Mocking or insulting video, no threat | YouTube in-app report, then MCMC at aduan.mcmc.gov.my if it stays up | Video link, screenshots, your YouTube report confirmations | | Threats of violence or your address shown | Police report first, then YouTube and MCMC | Screenshots, links, your timeline, anything offline that matches | | Video spreading lies that harm your reputation | YouTube report, and a lawyer for defamation advice | Every link and dated screenshot, plus who has seen it | | Intimate images or a child involved | Police, YouTube's report flow, and the specialist routes for that harm | Links and written descriptions, never copies of the images | A police report creates an official record, and the police decide which laws apply. Bring the evidence folder from the checklist above. For defamation, or if you want a court order, speak to a lawyer, because only a court can decide those claims. Our overview of [online harassment and the Online Safety Act](https://www.awarexone.com/research/online-harassment-malaysia-law-online-safety-act) explains the legal side in plain terms. ## What If YouTube Says the Video Does Not Break Its Rules? This happens, especially with lower-severity mockery. Read the decision in your YouTube inbox, then check whether you chose the right reason. If the video names you, shows your personal details or invites people to attack you, report it again with the accurate category and the specific detail. Keep each confirmation. If it still stays up, MCMC is the next step. Our guide on [what to do when a report is rejected](https://www.awarexone.com/research/report-rejected-content-not-removed-what-next) covers this stage. ## Mistakes That Weaken Your Case - Blocking or reporting before saving the link and screenshots, then losing the evidence when the video disappears. - Asking friends to mass report the video. YouTube lists encouraging false reports as a form of bullying, and a pile of identical reports does not change what the video shows. - Replying with your own video or comments. YouTube's rules apply to retaliation too, and it can make you look like a participant. - Trying to find out who runs an anonymous account. Leave identification to the police and the courts. - Contacting the poster in anger. If you want it down without escalating, use the platform and official routes. - Reposting the video to warn people, which spreads it to a new audience. > Warning: **Takedown agents.** Be careful with anyone who messages you offering to get the video removed for a fee, claiming contacts inside YouTube, or asking for your YouTube login or verification codes. Only YouTube decides whether a reported video comes down, and no one can guarantee removal. Never share a password or a code with anyone who offers this. ## When a Case Review Makes Sense Everything above is free and you can do it yourself. Most single videos are best handled through YouTube's own report and, if needed, MCMC. A review is worth considering when the harassment is spread across many videos and accounts, when it is hurting a business or your job, or when you are too worn down to build the evidence and reports yourself. AwareXone, our recovery and content removal service, reviews the case first, prepares accurate rights-based reports through YouTube's official channels and points you to the police or a lawyer when the matter needs them. We never file false reports, never ask for your passwords or codes, and YouTube makes the final decision. Our [content removal page](https://www.awarexone.com/social-media-recovery/social-media-content-removal) explains what we handle, and our [Trust Center](https://www.awarexone.com/trust) sets out how we work. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Will the person know I reported their YouTube video? YouTube says it will not share your identity with the person or account you report. It may still share information where the law requires it. ### Someone made a YouTube about me without naming me. Can I still report it? Yes, if the video clearly targets you. YouTube's rules cover content that degrades or mocks a specific person, so explain in the report how it identifies you. ### Can I report a harassing YouTube video if I do not have an account? The in-app report needs an account. A friend can report it for you by choosing "Someone I know has been bullied or harassed", and in Malaysia you can report harassing content to MCMC at aduan.mcmc.gov.my without a YouTube account. ### How long does YouTube take to remove a reported video? YouTube does not publish a fixed time for harassment reports. Check your YouTube inbox for the decision, and escalate to MCMC or the police if the video stays up and keeps causing harm. ### Is posting a video to bully someone illegal in Malaysia? Harassing or abusive content is listed as reportable harmful content under the Online Safety Act 2025, and threats can be a police matter. Whether a specific video is a crime is for the police and courts to decide, so make a report and speak to a lawyer if you need advice. ## Official sources - [YouTube Safety Center: Bullying prevention (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/safety/en/bullying-prevention) - [YouTube Community Guidelines: Safety and Civility (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/community-guidelines/en/safety-civility) - [YouTube Help Center: Report a post (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7636676986282449428) - [YouTube Help Center: Report a comment (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7543897462705281592) - [YouTube Help Center: Report another issue (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7611806801709029899) - [YouTube Help Center: Report a problem (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7581820702655978040) - [YouTube Help Center: Blocking someone (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/support/faq_detail?id=7543897460691851781) - [YouTube: Privacy portal (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.youtube.com/legal/report/privacy) - [YouTube: Report cyberbullying of a child webform (read 5 October 2026)](https://report-cyberbullying-youtube-us.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new) - [MCMC: Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) home (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/onsa/home) - [MCMC: ONSA Reporting and Support (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/onsa/information-hub/reporting-support) - [MCMC: Online Safety Act 2025 [Act 866] (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.mcmc.gov.my/en/legal/acts/communications-and-multimedia-amendment-act-20-1) --- AwareXone is an independent provider serving clients worldwide, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.