Every now and again I get a customer who believes Youtube put a Virus on their computer. Although it is not out of the realm of possibility, it is highly unlikely.
Youtube is owned by Google, a very big and profitable internet company. Google makes a lot of its money through advertisements, they probably do not need to put a viruses on your computer. And even if they did, why would they? Why would they want to stop you using their website which they make money from you view their advertisements?
So if you have got a virus and the only websites you go to are the ones like Google, or mainly Google, how did you get a virus on your computer?
Fake Youtube Websites
There are many tube sites out there. Youtube is not the only one and there are thousands of clones which not only look like Youtube, also have similar domain names to trick you in hope of getting some of Youtube’s traffic or views.
A lot of these sites are built specifically to put viruses or spyware on to your computer so they can make money from you.
How a lot of these fakes Youtube websites work is they display a lot of videos for you to choose from. When you click on the video you want to watch, it doesn’t work. Instead you get a black screen with thing on it and you click again to make it run or you click the play button.
This time you get a little pop up letting you know there is a problem with your web browser or you need to add a plugin to watch this move.
Not knowing what you are really installing and trusting in the site you have unknowingly installed some kind of malicious software and the criminals now have access to your computer or have planted viruses and spyware.
Links on Youtube
Another way people can get viruses on their computer may actually start with Youtube, but not from Youtube itself.
The way Youtube works is people just like you can upload and display videos you have made yourself. Google and Youtube and a set of guidelines which dictate what can be displayed on Youtube and anything that doesn’t meet that guideline is quickly flagged by the millions of users who use the site every day and then taken down by the site administrators.
But what can happen is someone just like you or me and post a link into Youtube which takes the user away from Youtube to another site, out of Youtube’s control.
Someone might have put up a short clip about how to fix your plumbing. You really like the video and see the same user has also posted a link in the description of Youtube to their very own site.
Liking the video and wanting to see more you click on the link and are taken away from Youtube to wherever the link takes you and this is where people can pick up viruses or be scammed; when the leave Youtube!
