What Is YouTube?

YouTube is a popular video-sharing website where registered users can upload and share videos with anyone able to access the site. It has grown to be so poppular that it is the most content consumption platform in the world. These videos can also be embedded and shared on other sites. YouTube was developed by former PayPal employees in 2005 and was acquired by Google in 2006. It has had a profound impact on media and advertising. The site allows users to view, upload, rate, share and comment on videos uploaded by other users. The site enables users to upload, view and share videos under various categories, such as music, sports, entertainment, news and politics. It also allows users to make money from their content through advertising revenue-sharing agreements with Google AdSense, an online advertisement service used by many leading websites, including YouTube. This site has become one of the biggest video-sharing platforms on the internet, and it's easy to see why: it's free, easy to use, and trendy—a perfect combination for anyone looking to share their work with the world. Amateurs create most videos on YouTube, but some professional filmmakers also use the platform to share their work. Virtually all types and genres of videos are posted on the site, from sports accidents to homemade music videos. Copyrighted work also makes its way onto YouTube, which has raised many issues for companies that produce media for traditional outlets such as television. Because of the nature of YouTube sharing and voting, there have even been cases where new talents got discovered through simple videos, one of the most notable being teenage pop star Justin Bieber whose first video went viral after being discovered by an executive at Universal Records who saw it while searching YouTube for new talent.