YouTube Use Policy (Creators-First, Privacy-First)
Summary: SmartToolsCloud YouTube Mode strictly follows YouTube’s Terms of Service. We do not enable downloading from YouTube, we do not scrape or circumvent protections, and we encourage users to support creators using official tools.
1) Scope & Applicability
- 1.1 This policy applies to all SmartToolsCloud interfaces that render YouTube content via embedded browsers or WebViews.
- 1.2 It governs how features, UI, and data practices must behave when users browse YouTube within our app/site.
- 1.3 By using YouTube Mode, you agree to these terms in addition to SmartToolsCloud Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- 1.4 If any clause conflicts with YouTube’s policies, YouTube’s policies prevail.
2) No Downloading or Stream Extraction
- 2.1 We do not provide any button, API, or hidden mechanism to download YouTube videos or audio.
- 2.2 We do not parse, intercept, decrypt, or expose media stream URLs.
- 2.3 We do not integrate third-party downloaders or link to any service that advertises YouTube downloads.
- 2.4 If a creator enables official downloads within the YouTube app, please use that feature within YouTube.
- 2.5 Circumventing technological measures (DRM, signatures, tokenization) is strictly prohibited.
3) Respect for Creators & Copyright
- 3.1 Support creators via official actions: Subscribe, Like, Share, Join, and YouTube Premium.
- 3.2 Do not redistribute, mirror, or re-host YouTube content without permission from rights holders.
- 3.3 Do not remove watermarks, overlays, or attributions embedded by creators or YouTube.
- 3.4 Report suspected infringement to YouTube’s standard reporting channels.
- 3.5 If you are a rights holder and have concerns, contact us for takedown handling.
4) User Experience & UI Rules
- 4.1 One-step back navigation: pressing back returns a single page step, avoiding deep stack confusion.
- 4.2 A visible header shows “Smart Tools Cloud” branding and a safe exit to index.html.
- 4.3 No overlays that block YouTube’s own UI controls (play, pause, captions, quality).
- 4.4 No extra ad layers on top of YouTube surfaces; we do not alter YouTube’s rendering.
- 4.5 A daily validation popup (once per 24 hours) reminds users: no download, no scraping, respect creators.
5) Privacy & Data Handling
- 5.1 We do not save or sync your YouTube watch history on our servers.
- 5.2 Any local UI state (like last URL) is device-only and can be cleared by the user.
- 5.3 We do not profile users based on YouTube viewing behavior.
- 5.4 We follow a minimal data approach: no unnecessary telemetry in YouTube Mode.
- 5.5 See SmartToolsCloud Privacy Policy for general data practices outside YouTube Mode.
6) Ads & Monetization
- 6.1 SmartToolsCloud may show site/app ads outside the YouTube web surface (e.g., header, below hero, or below policy blocks).
- 6.2 We do not interfere with YouTube’s own ad delivery, formats, or measurement.
- 6.3 Ad placements follow UX and policy guidelines to avoid deceptive or intrusive behavior.
- 6.4 We never insert ads over YouTube’s video player or controls.
7) Technical Conduct
- 7.1 No reverse engineering of YouTube endpoints, signatures, or player internals.
- 7.2 No scraping of watch pages to extract stream URLs or media manifests.
- 7.3 No injection of scripts to bypass restrictions or manipulate playback.
- 7.4 No caching of YouTube media beyond what standard browsers do automatically.
- 7.5 We respect robots policies and legal access constraints.
8) Data Saver & Accessibility
- 8.1 Optional Data Saver UI may request lower default quality on mobile networks.
- 8.2 Accessibility aids (bigger captions, simplified layout) never circumvent platform rules.
- 8.3 Any optimization respects creator intent and platform integrity.
9) Kids & Family Safety
- 9.1 We encourage using YouTube’s Restricted Mode and parental controls.
- 9.2 Optional keyword filters may hide certain suggestions locally (UI-only, device-side).
- 9.3 Parents/guardians are responsible for enabling platform-level protections.
10) Security & Abuse
- 10.1 Attempts to add, re-enable, or sideload downloading will be blocked.
- 10.2 Suspicious behavior (botting, scraping) may trigger access limitations.
- 10.3 We cooperate with rights holders and platforms on legitimate requests.
11) Daily Validation Popup
- 11.1 A reminder appears at most once per 24 hours per device/session.
- 11.2 The dialog states: we do not save your history; no illegal downloading.
- 11.3 Users confirm via a checkbox and continue to YouTube browsing.
- 11.4 Dismissal or acceptance stores a local timestamp to limit frequency.
12) Third-Party Services
- 12.1 We do not integrate with third-party “YouTube downloaders.”
- 12.2 We do not supply APIs or SDKs to expose media from YouTube.
- 12.3 Links to official YouTube features may be provided for user convenience.
13) User Responsibilities
- 13.1 Follow YouTube’s Terms of Service and community guidelines.
- 13.2 Do not encourage others to circumvent protections or download illegally.
- 13.3 Report bugs that appear to enable bypassing or scraping.
- 13.4 Use “Open in YouTube” when native features are needed.
14) Change Management
- 14.1 The policy may update as platform rules evolve.
- 14.2 Significant changes will be reflected on this page with an updated date.
- 14.3 Continued use after updates indicates acceptance.
15) Takedowns & Complaints
- 15.1 Rights holders may contact us for concerns related to this mode.
- 15.2 We will review and respond within a reasonable timeframe.
- 15.3 Verified abuse can lead to feature restrictions or access blocks.
16) Legal
- 16.1 Nothing here grants rights to copy, download, or redistribute YouTube content.
- 16.2 This document complements, not replaces, YouTube’s own policies.
- 16.3 Jurisdiction and dispute terms follow SmartToolsCloud’s Terms of Service.
17) Contact
- 17.1 For questions about this YouTube Use Policy, contact support via our website.
- 17.2 For privacy requests, see our Privacy Policy & Data Request section.
18) Examples of Allowed vs. Not Allowed
- 18.1 Allowed: Streaming videos in a WebView with normal controls.
- 18.2 Allowed: “Open in YouTube” deep-link.
- 18.3 Not Allowed: Any feature to download or convert to MP3/MP4.
- 18.4 Not Allowed: Injecting code to reveal media URLs.
19) Device-Only Settings
- 19.1 History/bookmarks (if offered) are stored locally, not synced by default.
- 19.2 Users can clear local data anytime from Settings.
- 19.3 We do not back up YouTube Mode data to our servers.
20) Final Notes
- 20.1 SmartToolsCloud stands for lawful, respectful, and high-quality user experiences.
- 20.2 We believe in supporting creators and platform integrity.
- 20.3 If in doubt, choose the official path: use YouTube’s native features.
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