Youtube

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-**YouTube** is an American [Video Platform](/wiki/video-platform) owned by [Google](/wiki/google). YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005,[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-7) by [Chad Hurley](/wiki/chad-hurley), [Jawed Karim](/wiki/jawed-karim), and [Steve Chen](/wiki/steve-chen), who were former employees of [PayPal](/wiki/paypal). Headquartered in [San Bruno](/wiki/san-bruno), California, it is the [second-most-visited website](/wiki/website) in the world, after [Google Search](/wiki/google-search). In January 2024, YouTube had more than 2.7 billion [Active User](/wiki/active-user), who collectively watched more than one billion hours of videos every day.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-1_billion_hours-8) As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded to the platform at a rate of more than 500 hours of [Content](/wiki/content) per minute,[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-500_hours_per_minute-9)[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-:0-10) and as of mid-2024, there were approximately 14.8 billion videos in total.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-:1-11)

-On November 13, 2006, YouTube was purchased by Google for US$1.65 billion (equivalent to $2.39 billion in 2024).[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-12) Google expanded YouTube's [Business Model](/wiki/business-model) from generating revenue through [Advertisement](/wiki/advertisement) alone to offering [Paid Content](/wiki/paid-content) such as movies and [Exclusive Content](/wiki/exclusive-content) explicitly produced for YouTube. It also offers [YouTube Premium](/wiki/youtube-premium), a paid subscription option for watching content without ads. YouTube incorporated the [Google AdSense](/wiki/google-adsense) program, generating more revenue for both YouTube and approved [Content Creator](/wiki/content-creator). In 2023, YouTube's advertising revenue totaled $31.7 billion, a 2% increase from the $31.1 billion reported in 2022.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-13) From Q4 2023 to Q3 2024, YouTube's combined revenue from advertising and subscriptions exceeded $50 billion.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-14)

-Since its purchase by Google, YouTube has expanded beyond the core [Website](/wiki/website) into [Mobile App](/wiki/mobile-app), [Television](/wiki/television), and [Platform Integration](/wiki/platform-integration) with other platforms. [Video](/wiki/video) categories on YouTube include [Music Video](/wiki/music-video), [Video Clip](/wiki/video-clip), [News](/wiki/news), [Film](/wiki/film), [Songs](/wiki/song), [Documentary](/wiki/documentary), [Movie Trailer](/wiki/movie-trailer), [Teaser](/wiki/teaser), [TV Spot](/wiki/tv-spot), [Live Stream](/wiki/live-stream), [Vlog](/wiki/vlog), and more. Most content is [User Generated Content](/wiki/user-generated-content), including collaborations between [YouTuber](/wiki/youtuber) and [Corporate Sponsor](/wiki/corporate-sponsor). Established [Media](/wiki/media), news, and [Entertainment](/wiki/entertainment) corporations have also created and expanded their visibility to YouTube channels to reach bigger audiences.

-YouTube has had [Social Impact](/wiki/social-impact), influencing [Popular Culture](/wiki/popular-culture), [Internet Trend](/wiki/internet-trend), and creating multimillionaire [Celebrity](/wiki/celebrity). Despite its growth and success, the platform has been criticized for its facilitation of the spread of [Misinformation](/wiki/misinformation) and [Copyright](/wiki/copyright) content, routinely violating its users' [Privacy](/wiki/privacy), [Censorship](/wiki/censorship), endangering [Child Safety](/wiki/child-safety), and for its inconsistent implementation of [Platform Guidelines](/wiki/platform-guidelines).

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-**YouTube** is an American [online video sharing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_video_platform) platform owned by [Google](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google). YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005,[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-7) by [Chad Hurley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad_Hurley), [Jawed Karim](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawed_Karim), and [Steve Chen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Chen), who were former employees of [PayPal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PayPal). Headquartered in [San Bruno, California](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bruno,_California), it is the [second-most-visited website](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-visited_websites) in the world, after [Google](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Search). In January 2024, YouTube had more than 2.7 billion [monthly active users](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monthly_active_user), who collectively watched more than one billion hours of videos every day.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-1_billion_hours-8) As of May 2019, videos were being uploaded to the platform at a rate of more than 500 hours of [content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_\(media\)) per minute,[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-500_hours_per_minute-9)[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-:0-10) and as of mid-2024, there were approximately 14.8 billion videos in total.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-:1-11)

-On November 13, 2006, YouTube was purchased by Google for US$1.65 billion (equivalent to $2.39 billion in 2024).[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-12) Google expanded YouTube's business model from generating revenue through [advertisements](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advertising) alone to offering paid content such as movies and [exclusive content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_YouTube_Premium_original_programming) explicitly produced for YouTube. It also offers [YouTube Premium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube_Premium), a paid subscription option for watching content without ads. YouTube incorporated the [Google AdSense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_AdSense) program, generating more revenue for both YouTube and approved content creators. In 2023, YouTube's advertising revenue totaled $31.7 billion, a 2% increase from the $31.1 billion reported in 2022.[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-13) From Q4 2023 to Q3 2024, YouTube's combined revenue from advertising and subscriptions exceeded $50 billion.[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube#cite_note-14)

-Since its purchase by Google, YouTube has expanded beyond the core website into [mobile apps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_app), [network television](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_broadcaster), and the [ability to link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interoperability) with other platforms. Video categories on YouTube include [music videos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video), [video clips](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_video), [news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News), [short](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_film) and [feature films](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_film), [songs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs), [documentaries](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_film), [movie trailers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_\(promotion\)), [teasers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaser_\(trailer\)), [TV spots](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_advertisement), [live streams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_stream), [vlogs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlog), and more. Most content is [generated by individuals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-generated_content), including collaborations between [YouTubers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTuber) and corporate sponsors. Established media, news, and entertainment corporations have also created and expanded their visibility to YouTube channels to reach bigger audiences.

-YouTube has had [unprecedented social impact](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_impact_of_YouTube), influencing [popular culture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_culture), internet trends, and creating multimillionaire celebrities. Despite its growth and success, the platform has been criticized for its facilitation of the spread of [misinformation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misinformation) and [copyrighted content](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube_copyright_issues), [routinely violating its users' privacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube_and_privacy), [excessive censorship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship_by_YouTube), endangering [the safety of children and their well-being](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_protection), and for its inconsistent implementation of platform guidelines.

-YouTube is a vast digital stage, where countless [Video](/wiki/Video) stories unfold. Since its launch in 2005, it has transformed how the world creates, shares, and experiences [Digital Media](/wiki/Digital_Media).

-## See also

-- [Social Media](/wiki/Social_Media)

-- [Streaming](/wiki/Streaming)

-- [Content Creation](/wiki/Content_Creation)