On February 14, 2005, Steven Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim launched YouTube, a social media and video-sharing platform after they had difficulty sharing videos they had shot at a dinner party and wanted to create a way to share such videos. Today, it draws in more than 2.5 billion users each day and is the second most visited website in the world, behind the Google search engine. YouTube is used by many people around the world, for different reasons and purposes. Although it is still growing and developing today, it has neared the end of its diffusion curve.
After its creation in 2005, it was bought by Google 18 months later for $1.65 billion. Through its new owner, YouTube began drawing in more revenue, not just through advertisements, but also through premium account offers, movie rentals, and more. Through this, YouTube earned $28.8 billion in annual advertising revenue in 2021. Most videos on the platform fall under categories such as music videos, vlogs, live streams, news, how-to's, etc. Larger entertainment companies, like Disney, even created their own YouTube accounts to post trailers and other content to expand their audience and viewers. Every social media platform has its negatives, however, as many have criticized the company for copyright issues and monetization of offensive content.
YouTube would not be what it is today without its users and the content they post. The site caught fire largely due to people having access to a new form of expression and sharing, through video. We as humans enjoy sharing and looking at other people's creations, not only for the social aspect but also for the artistic aspect too. As someone who uses YouTube frequently, I always enjoy watching other people's content and appreciating the work that went into creating their media. Having social influencers and companies using the app certainly helped, but the main reason the platform was so successful was that off its purchase by Google, which helped advertise on YouTube and draw in viewers. Many late adapters also use the app, mostly through news and instructional videos. While some people may be cautious about YouTube due to its social media label, it still serves as a platform that can be used for expressions of creativity, helping others, or simply used for the pure aspect of socializing.
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