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3 former PayPal employees and lifelong friends by the names of Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim had the dream of making a platform where people could share and upload videos. -
Chad Hurley registered the "YouTube" trademark, logo, and domain on Valentine's Day -
The first YouTube video was made and it was titled "Me At The Zoo" and was uploaded by Jawed Karim on his channel which was called "jawed" -
YouTube's beta Website is launched and made public to the world -
Video HTML was added to YouTube for the first time and was used to put links in the description of videos. A link will lead you to another video or another website. For Example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ -
YouTube added its First ever 5 star rating system to help people find content that they prefer -
A Nike ad featuring Football player Ronahldino getting a pair of golden football shoes was the first ever video to go viral on YouTube -
YouTube's playlist function is added to YouTube for the first time. This would become an integral part of the platform for content creators and users. Fullscreen video is also added to the site. YouTube also adds its subscription function and all these functions are a part of YouTube till this day -
YouTube officially launches out of its Beta status. This is thanks, in part, to a multi-million investment from Sequoia Capital enabling them to improve their servers with increased bandwidth. -
YouTube added a Groups Feature. YouTube Groups was a feature that gave YouTube users a place to come together and share videos and discussions about common interests. If you want to communicate with a YouTube user, enter the user's name in the YouTube search field. Click the linked name under any of the user's videos to go to that person's channel. -
For the first time user profile personalization is added. -
YouTube adds a ten-minute limit to all uploaded video content -
YouTube adds its "Directors" function to the site. -
Responses to videos are allowed for the first time. Cellphone video uploading functions are also included on the platform. -
Personalization of profiles features is further refined and user viewing history is also added to the site so kids can clear theirs. YouTube also makes a deal with NBC this month to remove some of its footage under copyright infringement laws. YouTube also sets up its Content Verification Program to help prevent a similar issue in the future. NBC later decide to let YouTube actually promote its material on its site. -
Google acquires YouTube for $1.65 billion. At the time Google calls YouTube, "the next step in the evolution of the Internet." Amazingly, YouTube only had roughly 65 employees at the time. -
YouTube launches its Partner's Program to enable content creators to actually make money off the videos they create and upload. Many content creators can finally turn their hobbies into an actual profitable income stream. This month, a baby named Charlie took the internet by storm in a 56-second viral video. In the video, Charlie bites his brother's finger and smiles. The family who uploaded the video to YouTube is reported to have made $100,000 from it. -
YouTube allows other languages to be used on its site for the first time. -
YouTube partners with CNN to host its first presidential debate. -
This month, Google decides to start making some money from their new acquisition by enabling ads on the platform for the first time. Initially, semi-transparent banners were used that popped up at the bottom of videos, overlaid on the content for between 10 and 15 seconds. -
YouTube allows support of 480p videos on the platform. Video analytics are also added to the site. -
Audioswap is added to YouTube. This function allows content creators to add music to their videos from a library of licensed songs. -
Google Videos uploading service is halted. The U.S. Congress also launches its official YouTube channel this month. For the first time, U.S. citizens can gain access to the goings-on in Congress like never before possible. The Vatican also launches its own official YouTube channel. -
YouTube wins a Peabody Award for its outstanding achievements in electronic media. Along with Vivendi, YouTube launches music video service VEVO. Usher also introduces Justin Bieber to an unsuspecting world this month. Depending on your point of view, this was either the darkest day in YouTube history or one of its greatest. -
1080p videos are finally allowed on the platform. -
YouTube's feature film rental service launches this month. This was a bold move in a gamble to directly challenge the hegemony of Netflix and Apple. -
The now ubiquitous "Thumbs Up and Down" rating system is added to YouTube -
YouTube enables 4K videos to be uploaded to its platform for the first time. -
YouTube plays a pivotal role in the coverage of the so-called "Arab Spring". Activists from around the Muslim world used the platform to spread messages of hope and defiance to accelerate the movement. -
YouTube Live is launched for the first time. This function enables content creators and corporate/public organizations to stream live content. Concerts, sports events, and even weddings begin to appear on the site -
After the acquisition of Next New Networks (an original video programming company) in March of 2011, YouTube launches its first original channels. From this point forward, Google would offer original content creators serious money to make videos exclusively for the platform. -
YouTube launches its "Youtube Analytics" tool. This function enables content creators to intelligently track their channel's performance. They can find out who is watching their videos, for how long, and which are the most popular to target monetization strategies. -
YouTube merges with Google Video. -
The Olympics are live-streamed for the very first time. -
YouTube partners with ABC to live-stream a presidential debate for the first time. -
“Gangnam Style” becomes the first video to hit 1 billion views. -
YouTube reaches 1 billion unique monthly visitors. -
Music Key is added to the site. This was a subscription-based service that enabled users to stream music videos advertisement free from participating labels on YouTube and Google Play Music. It would later be superseded by YouTube Red. -
YouTube Red launches. Now called YouTube Premium, this is a subscription service offered by YouTube to provide advertisement-free access to its content. -
Adele’s “Hello” becomes the fastest video to hit 1 billion views in just 88 days. -
This month a shooting took place at the YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, California. The shooter was later identified as Nasim Najafi Aghdam. He entered the building from an exterior parking garage and wounded three people before taking his own life -
YouTube Puts Up Like Every Year Since 2010, A YouTube Rewind To end Off 2018, Called "Everyone Controls Rewind" And That Is Still, To This Day Is Considered The Worst Rewind Ever And IS Also The Most Disliked Video On YouTube Which Ironically Was Uploaded By YouTube Itself -
YouTube launches its "Two Ads" feature for the first time. By adding two ads together (one of which is unskippable) YouTube creators are given a much-needed boost in potential revenue. This followed the so-called "Ad Apocalypse" a few months earlier. This was an event where YouTube demonetized videos or entire channels for perceived "advertiser-unfriendly" content. -
This month, Google announced that it would begin to phase out its classic version of YouTube Studio to all content creators by the spring of 2020. -
YouTube begins to phase out the ability to use categories on its platform. -
Because OfBad TimesOf 2020, YouTube stepped Down From Making Rewind This Year. They Decided Not To Do Rewind For The First Time Since 2010. Just when it seemed like the world would miss out on an annual tradition, MrBeast came to the rescue with a wholesome look at all that has transpired in the world in 2020.
By the looks of initial reactions online, MrBeast has certainly not disappointed, as Twitter continues to go absolutely gaga over what is being deemed as "the greatest YouTube Rewind yet."