Photographs: Eric Gaillard/Reuters
YouTube is the world's most popular online video site, with users watching 4 billion hours worth of video each month, and uploading 72 hours worth of video every minute, according to Business Insider.
Let's take a look at 20 milestones in the history of YouTube.
Source: Business Insider
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters
The launch
Year: February 2005
Before February 14, 2005, very few people had ever even heard the name YouTube. It was founded by former PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim. The idea was born at a dinner party in San Francisco about a year before the official launch, according to Business Insider.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Mark Blinch/Reuters
Beta site
Year: May 2005
YouTube launched the beta site in May 2005, two months after registering trademarks, logo and domain.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Fred Prouser/Reuters
First video
Year: April 2005
On April 23, 2005, YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim posted the very first video, entitled 'Me at the Zoo'. It was only 19 seconds long, says Business Insider.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Brian Snyder/Reuters
One million mark
Year: September 2005
In September 2005, YouTube got its first one million-hit video. The video was a Nike ad that went viral.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Eric Gaillard/Reuters
Official launch
Year: December 2005
Following a $3.5 million investment from Sequoia Capital in November 2005, YouTube was able to increase its bandwidth, improve its servers and launch to the public, says Business Insider.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
New age
Year: June 2006
YouTube struck a deal with NBC in June 2006, helping the traditional media company enter the new digital age.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Adrian Dennis/Pool/Reuters
Google's buyout
Year: October 2006
Google saw the potential in YouTube and acquired the video-sharing site for $1.65 billion in October 2006.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Erin Siegal/Reuters
Payment programme
Year: May 2007
YouTube launched its Partner Program to let people get paid for their viral content in May 2007.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Erin Siegal/Reuters
Charlie's video
Year: May 2007
A 56-second viral video of a toddler, Charlie, biting his brother's finger and then smiling is one of the most watched YouTube clips ever.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Erin Siegal/Reuters
Presidential debate
Year: July 2007
In July 2007, YouTube teamed up with CNN to host the presidential debate for the 2008 election cycle.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Erin Siegal/Reuters
First advertisements
Year: August 2007
Google decided it was time to start making money and rolled out the first ads for YouTube in August 2007.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Scott Audette/Reuters
Bieber mania
Year: April 2009
Singer Usher introduced the world to Justin Bieber via a video on YouTube. Justin Bieber's song Baby is one of the most viewed videos on YouTube, with more than 820 million views.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Jim Bourg/Reuters
Mainstream move
Year: January 2009
In January 2009, the 111th US Congress hopped on the bandwagon and launched official Congressional YouTube channels.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters
Arab Spring
Year: 2011
During the 2011 Arab Spring, YouTube played an instrumental role in disseminating messages of freedom and democracy.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
Vevo's launch
Year: April 2009
YouTube and Vivendi team up to launch new music video service Vevo in April 2009.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Fred Prouser/Reuters
Movie rental
Year: January 2010
It started with a few movies that did well at Sundance, and has since grown to offer movies from companies including Paramount, Disney, NBC/Universal, Sony, and Warner Brothers.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
Going live
Year: April 2011
YouTube Live has allowed the site to stream everything from concerts to news coverage.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Mark Blinch/Reuters
Original content
Year: October 2011
Google reportedly paid more than $100 million to content creators to make videos exclusively for YouTube.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Reuters
Live-stream
Year: July 2012
For the first time ever, people all over the world were able to watch a live-stream of the Olympics in July 2012.
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20 milestones in the history of YouTube
Photographs: Tim Wimborne/Reuters
Gangnam Style
Year: December 2012
In a little over five months, Gangnam Style hit one billion views in December 2012. It's now the number one video on YouTube with more than 1.3 billion views.
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