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User profile for user: isbanned111
isbanned111 Author
User level: Level 1
6 points

Viruses from downloading videos

Is it possible to get a virus fron downloading youtube videos from those sites where you just paste the link and convert? Ive gotten pop up ads before and redirects and have been told that iphones cant get viruses but i find that hard to believe. Ive started to use a converter that has no ads and stuff but ive never heard anyone talk about it so i dont know how safe it is. Is it really impossible for iphones to get viruses? Or should i stop downloading yt videos to be safe?

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 17

Posted on Nov 1, 2023 2:35 PM

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User profile for user: stedman1
stedman1
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
260,026 points

Posted on Nov 1, 2023 2:55 PM

Correct. As above, A popup is a bogus advertising message, hoping to trick you into downloading some garbage app, or worse still, contacting some criminal, masquerading as a “support site”. Do note, the more often you engage with sites that are offering “free” content, the more likely you are to see more of these messages.


Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popup… - Apple Community


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User profile for user: stedman1
stedman1
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User level: Level 10
260,026 points

Nov 1, 2023 2:55 PM in response to isbanned111

Correct. As above, A popup is a bogus advertising message, hoping to trick you into downloading some garbage app, or worse still, contacting some criminal, masquerading as a “support site”. Do note, the more often you engage with sites that are offering “free” content, the more likely you are to see more of these messages.


Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popup… - Apple Community


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User profile for user: edclange
edclange
User level: Level 5
4,614 points

Apr 15, 2024 8:59 AM in response to isbanned111

No, it is not necessary. Safari and iOS are blocking most trackers by default. But if you want to be extra careful, do your downloads in a Private tab in Safari. Then any history or website data from that tab will be discarded when you close it.


See Turn Private Browsing on or off on your iPhone - Apple Support


Note that in general, the kinds of web sites that have scary pop-ups are the kind that help you do things that you are quite possibly inadvisable or illegal. Downloading videos from YouTube is against their terms of service. Although I used to do that too.

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User profile for user: stedman1
stedman1
Community+ 2024
User level: Level 10
260,026 points

Nov 1, 2023 2:41 PM in response to isbanned111

While it is not possible to infect your phone by doing so, do understand that if you are downloading any internet content for “free” that is normally not available for free from the rights holder, you will see no end of bogus advertising posted. The criminals posting the bogus messages are generally the same as those providing “free” content, that is normally not available for free.

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Viruses from downloading videos

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