YouTube does not allow creators to see the specific identities of who views their videos. This is done to protect user privacy. However, creators can access detailed analytics in YouTube Studio, such as viewer demographics (age, gender, location), watch time, engagement, and traffic sources, which give a broad understanding of who is watching the videos without revealing individual identities.
Why Specific Viewers Are Not Shown
YouTube protects the privacy of its users by not disclosing who exactly watches videos. Many users prefer to watch videos anonymously, and sharing viewer identities would violate privacy policies and create a less secure environment for users.
What Creators Can See
- Aggregate data on viewer demographics
- How viewers found the video (search terms, external sites, suggested videos)
- Engagement metrics like likes, dislikes, and shares
- Watch time and traffic sources
Creators can find these insights by going to YouTube Studio, navigating to their videos, and viewing the analytics dashboard for each video.
Privacy Settings for Videos
Creators can control who can see their videos using three privacy options:
- Public: Anyone can watch
- Unlisted: Only viewers with the link can watch
- Private: Only specific users granted permission can watch.
In summary, while you cannot see who exactly viewed your YouTube videos, you do have access to rich analytics data to understand your audience broadly without compromising individual viewer privacy.
