YouTube

Online video sharing company. Founded in 2005, it was purchased by Google for $1.65 billion the following year. A range of content includes basic home movies and video blogs, music videos, film shorts, television and film clips, and major news clips from leading providers.

The original company was launched by former employees of e-commerce firm Paypal, Chad Hurley (1977– ; Chief Executive Officer), Steve Chen (1978– ; Chief Technology Officer), and Jawed Karim (1979– ), with funding from venture capital investment firm Sequoia Capital. YouTube is based in San Bruno, near San Francisco, California. Subscribers are able to upload and download an unlimited number of videos; non-subscribers also have access to many clips.

YouTube categorizes videos and publishes viewer responses, ratings, and numbers of broadcasts. Individuals and organizations submit videos for a range of purposes. The site has made cult celebrities out of many of its quirkier broadcasters, but major public figures also use the site to gain exposure. US presidential candidates, for example, used YouTube to campaign for the 2008 election. YouTube has also launched joint ventures with media organizations such as CBS, BBC, Sony, Universal, and EMI. Critics lament the narcissistic and exhibitionist nature of videos as well as copyright infringements.