YouTube: Its History and Impact on the Internet

What was the orignal purpose of YouTube?

YouTube was originally created as a platform for anyone to post any video content the desired.Today, many content creators make a decent living, creating, editing and uploading video on YouTube.YouTube is the largest and most popular video distribution platform on the internet. It has over 4 billion hours  worth of video viewers every month. 

Who started YouTube?

Chad Hurley Steve Chen Jawed Karim

Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim invented the YouTube in 2005. They met at paypal. The concept of YouTube was inspired by, according to Jawed Karim, Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl, and the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean. 

How did YouTube start?

How did YouTube start

• As a capital-funded startup, the idea for YouTube received an $11.5 million investment from Sequoia Capital in 2005.
• The Domain name was registered in the headquarters above a pizzeria in california.
• In April, the firstever video was uploaded by Karim named 'Me at the Zoo.'
• A Nike commercial became the first video to receive one million views.
• April 2009: YouTube wins a Peabody Award for its outstanding achievements in electronics media.
• April 2009: Along with Vivendi, YouTube launches music video service VEVO.
• July 2012: The Olympics are livestreamed for the very first time.
• December 2012:"Gangnam Style" becomes the first video to hit 1 billion views.

 After a Beta testing period, the site launched in December 2005.

Impact of YouTube

YouTube enables inexpensive creation and distribution of academic educational content, as well as "how to" videos created by individual YouTubers. YouTube has become an important news platform for both individual eyewitness video and established news organization. Large companies and brands have used the website as a focused advertising tool for mass marketing and audience growth. 

While YouTube videos have spread of awareness of social issues (such as bullying, suicide and LGBT issues), they have also included potentially harmful content (such as those describing self-harm).