5 min Read

What is YouTube | The History, Developers & Its Features

What is YouTube

YouTube is a free video-sharing site maintained by Google. Right now, its headquarters is in San Bruno, California, United States, and the CEO is Susan Wojcicki from February 5, 2014, and in March 2023 Neal Mohan became the new CEO of Youtube.

However, its name is supposed to be derived from You, which means (the fact that the video origin from you), and the Tube means television (cathode ray tube).

What is YouTube?

It is basically a website intended for sharing videos. Where users have made accounts on this website everywhere in the world. However, this site is very widespread, free to use, and allows users to stream, like, share, comment, follow, and upload video clips that anyone can watch. This video-sharing service can be accessed via personal computers, laptops, and smartphones.

Who Owns YouTube

This global online video-sharing and social media platform was developed on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2005, by its inventors Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. Chen and Karim studied computer science jointly at the University of Illinois. Chad Hurley studied web design at Indiana University.

The Beginning of YT

The Beginning of YT

Actually, at first, these three (Hurley, Chen, and Karim) were workers of PayPal, which harbor them augmented. But they left the company when eBay credited it. As per the media updates, the clue of youTube originated during the initial months of 2005, after a dinner party at Chen’s apartment in San Francisco.

The original concept was an online dating service called Tune in Hook Up that was eventually unsuccessful. However, they have experienced not straightforwardly found video clips of Super Bowl halftime show controversy. When Justin Timberlake momentarily uncovered Janet Jackson’s breast during the halftime show.

These three creators grasped at the party that they could not find any videos of that show on the internet. Subsequently observing that this kind of server did not occur, they made the variations to become the very first major video-sharing platform. The initial head office has placed overhead a pizzeria and a Japanese restaurant in San Mateo, California.

The first video was uploaded on April 23, 2005 tagline was Me at the Zoo shows at San Diego Zoo, filmed by Jawed Karim, the co-developer. This video can still be viewed on the website. Meanwhile, in October 2006, Google claimed it was procuring YT for $1.65 billion, which was later accomplished.

What is YouTube Used For

On this platform, you will discover the sheer number of videos where every minute, 100 hours of video are uploaded worldwide. Accordingly, there is something innovative to watch permanently, and you will find all varieties of videos.

For instance, fashion guidelines, cooking examples, news related to all sorts of industries, comics videos, educational experiments videos, technology issues-related content, and much more.

Moreover, it is all-around user-created content as a substitute for videos from main television networks and movie studios. A user will find amazing and creative content made by people just like you and me. However, this service is not just a one-way boulevard. Users can hedge in by making their own content, sharing their own, and becoming a part of this free service.

YouTube Features

YouTube Features

This video-sharing platform has 2 categories of users. (1) video creators, or influencers and (2) viewers. Video creators have channels where they upload videos or any content and go viral. Meanwhile, the viewers watch these uploaded videos and subscribe or follow these channels.

Below we have shared the YT features for both types of users.

  • User can create their individual channel.
  • Permits users to share videos for up to 15 minutes with friends and family.
  • Users can look for and watch videos.
  • A user can subscribe or follow other channels.
  • Control who can watch videos with YouTube’s privacy option.
  • Like, comment, and share other videos you have watched.
  • Search the archives for video clips.
  • Users can add captions and subtitles to the videos they upload.
  • Edit functions can make a video with music and other features.
  • Create a playlist to unite videos and group videos.
  • Provide the ability to contain advertisements in videos.
  • Users can track the number of views on the video they upload.
  • Allows a user to stream a video live.
  • Make available shareable URLs that lead straight to the videos.

NOTE: Do you know who has the most subscribers on YouTube? Number one on the list is T-Series, with 232 Million subscribers and the second number on the list you can’t believe is Cocomelon, which has 150 Million subscribers.

Summing Up

This free video-sharing service is great for discovering innovative things, learning, and entertaining. However, it was developed in 2005 for people to upload and share creative video content.

But later, it has also become a collection for storing favorite videos, songs, and jokes and a promotion site for corporations to sponsor their products.

This article shares how this platform is made, its features, and what it is used for. So, if you like this post, let us know in the below statement section.

Picture of Trevor Mogg

Trevor Mogg

I am a tech guide and how-to writer who loves helping people with their tech problems. With plenty of experience, I break down complex topics into easy-to-understand tips and tricks. When I'm not writing, I enjoy trying out new gadgets and keeping up with the latest tech trends.