Security & Privacy

📖 2 min read 📄 Part 9 of 10

Design YouTube/Netflix - Security and Privacy

Authentication

  • OAuth 2.0 + JWT tokens
  • Password hashing: bcrypt (cost 12)
  • 2FA: Optional authenticator apps
  • Session management: Redis with TTL

Authorization

  • Video visibility: Public, unlisted, private
  • Channel permissions: Owner, editor, viewer
  • Content restrictions: Age-restricted content
  • Geographic restrictions: Geo-blocking

Data Encryption

  • At rest: AES-256 for all data
  • In transit: TLS 1.3 for all connections
  • Video encryption: DRM (Widevine, FairPlay)
  • Streaming: Encrypted HLS/DASH segments

DRM (Digital Rights Management)

  • Widevine: Android, Chrome
  • FairPlay: iOS, Safari
  • PlayReady: Windows, Edge
  • License server: Token-based access
  • Expiring keys: Time-limited playback

Privacy Compliance

  • GDPR: Data export, deletion, portability
  • CCPA: Opt-out of data sale
  • COPPA: Age verification for children
  • Data retention: 90 days after deletion

Content Moderation

  • Automated scanning: ML-based detection
  • Copyright detection: Content ID system
  • Community guidelines: Manual review
  • Age restrictions: Mature content filtering

Moderation Actions

  • Remove: Delete violating content
  • Demonetize: Remove ads from video
  • Strike: Warning to channel
  • Suspend: Temporary channel suspension
  • Terminate: Permanent channel deletion

Copyright Protection

  • Content ID: Fingerprint copyrighted content
  • Matching: Compare uploads against database
  • Actions: Block, monetize, track
  • Appeals: Manual review process
  • DMCA: Takedown requests

API Security

  • Rate limiting: Token bucket algorithm
  • API keys: Required for third-party apps
  • OAuth scopes: Limited permissions
  • Input validation: Sanitize all inputs

Security Monitoring

  • Failed login attempts
  • Unusual upload patterns
  • Copyright violations
  • API abuse detection
  • Automated alerts

Incident Response

  • Detection: Automated monitoring
  • Triage: Assess severity
  • Containment: Isolate affected systems
  • Investigation: Root cause analysis
  • Remediation: Fix vulnerability
  • Post-mortem: Document lessons

This security framework ensures YouTube/Netflix protects content and user privacy.