Germany is home to Jawed Karim, the first YouTuber, who uploaded an iconic 18-second video in 2005. As a co-founder of YouTube, his contribution helped the platform evolve from a dating site concept to a global video-sharing giant. After Google’s acquisition in 2006 for $1.65 billion, YouTube thrived, enforcing copyright and expanding its diverse content offerings. Today, it remains a leading platform for creators, generating substantial revenue and fostering a vibrant ecosystem for various voices.
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Germany is home to the very first YouTuber in the platform’s history. Jawed Karim, born on October 28, 1979, in Merseburg (Saxony-Anhalt) and residing in the USA since 1992, uploaded a brief 18-second video on April 23, 2005, showcasing his visit to the elephants at the San Diego Zoo. As one of YouTube’s three co-founders, he played a pivotal role in its inception. Initially, the platform was relatively unknown, but over the past two decades, this seemingly trivial clip has amassed nearly 360 million views.
On February 14, 2005, the official launch of YouTube took place when friends Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim registered the domain ‘youtube.com’. Initially, these former PayPal employees had the idea of creating a dating site where users could upload short videos to introduce themselves. However, this concept was quickly abandoned, allowing YouTube to develop into a versatile video-sharing platform where users could upload, share, and watch a wide array of videos.
Embracing the YouTube Phenomenon
The Rapid Ascent of YouTube
YouTube quickly caught the attention of both internet users and advertisers alike. In November 2005, a Nike ad featuring football star Ronaldinho became the first video to hit one million views, signaling the dawn of the viral video era.
The platform experienced explosive growth, even eclipsing Google Video, largely because the founders initially overlooked copyright issues. Users enjoyed free access to songs and music videos on YouTube. However, this success brought financial challenges for the founders, as escalating streaming costs often outweighed their revenues.
Desperate for a financially stable investor, the trio discovered Susan Wojcicki, who was then leading Google Video. Her interest was piqued by a viral video featuring two boys lip-syncing to a Backstreet Boys song, which ultimately led to her support.
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The Google Era Begins
Negotiations regarding the acquisition’s financial details took place directly between the YouTube founders, Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and Google co-founder Larry Page. On October 9, 2006, it was publicly announced that Google intended to purchase YouTube for a staggering $1.65 billion. At that time, this was considered an astronomical figure, but looking back, it proved to be a wise investment. Google acquired not only the technical expertise but also a substantial market share, with YouTube commanding nearly 50 percent while Google Video held just 25 percent.
One of the new owner’s immediate priorities was to tighten copyright enforcement. Just prior to the acquisition, YouTube had secured agreements with major media companies such as CBS, Universal Music Group, and Sony BMG to alleviate potential legal complications.
The platform’s popularity surged, and by March 2013, it had surpassed one billion monthly viewers for the first time. Viral sensations like ‘Evolution of Dance’ played a significant role in this growth, marking the first YouTube video to achieve 100 million views.
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Iconic Videos That Defined YouTube
The song ‘Gangnam Style,’ released in 2012, became a true internet sensation. By June 2014, it was the first video to reach over two billion views, now boasting over five billion views in total.
YouTube has evolved into much more than just a hub for music videos; it is now an endless source of diverse content, including tutorial videos, beauty and fashion advice, and tech reviews. Time and again, celebrities make headlines on the platform. In August 2024, football icon Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel and astonishingly gained one million subscribers within just 90 minutes—setting a world record.
The platform also serves as a stage for political discourse. In May 2019, YouTuber Rezo sparked discussions in Germany with his video ‘The Destruction of the CDU,’ which became the most-watched video of that year, amassing over 20 million views. Additionally, science journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim’s video ‘Corona is Just Getting Started,’ released in April 2020, became the year’s most-viewed video with over 6.7 million views.
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What Sets YouTube Apart from the Rest
Andreas Briese, head of YouTube Germany, emphasizes that YouTube is not only the leading video platform in the country but also a space where anyone can find their voice and become a creator—whether through short or long videos, covering various topics from entertainment to news and music. The YouTube ecosystem has created over 25,000 full-time jobs in Germany alone.
On YouTube, creators have the freedom to choose their content and manage their production costs. If a video garners significant views and generates advertising revenue, the Google subsidiary shares 55 percent of that revenue with the creators. According to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, the company has distributed $70 billion to creators and partners for content over the past three years. YouTube takes on no financial risks; if a video underperforms, the company earns nothing but also avoids losses.