What was the First YouTube Video and How Did YouTube Start?

Ah YouTube, a place where any beautifully bearded British bald man with a microphone and nerdy, socially awkward American, who despite being 42 from the sounds of it is still waiting on puberty to hit, can go to team up across oceans and make the world’s greatest edutainment channel according to the words that just came out of my mouth. In fact, just about anyone these days with a cell phone and a dream can make it big coming to this platform and, with very little technical know-how, launch whatever channel they want and put it in front of one of the largest audiences in the world, no longer beholden to the gatekeepers of yor. And, hey, if you don’t yet have the knowledge or skills needed to implement your vision, we’re quite confident that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of youtube videos out there that will teach you exactly what you need to know, for free. All that is required of you is time, effort, and a fair amount of determination to keep going and improving. On that note, fun fact about this channel, it took 532 videos until the channel took off. But while today YouTube is arguably one of the most well known brands and websites in the world, with about 2 billion active users in any given month, and has been one of the biggest revolutions in entertainment since Napster, Youtube isn’t even old enough to drink in the United States, at just 18 years old. Not only that, it turns out when YouTube was first started, it was not meant to be a general video sharing platform but, rather, a dating and hookup website. So how did they go from a site to seek a spicy time partner to one where even this guy can somehow be watched by millions? And just what was the first ever YouTube video? (Which by the way doesn’t appear to be what literally everyone says. More on that in the Bonus Facts later.) But for now, have a seat on your porcelain throne or prepare your meal and sit down to eat, which we’re pretty sure comprises 90% of all views on YouTube outside of people using these videos to distract their brains from thoughts of the inevitability of death while trying to fall asleep... And, either way, let’s dive into it shall we?

This video is #sponsored by Bespoke Post.

[barlotardy]

The biggest surprise is that the first video WASN'T hosted by Simon...

[CandyGramForMongo_]

I love YT. It’s where you can find at least 12 videos on any topic as well as at least 3 more videos pointing out the mistakes in the first 12!

[BruceBoyde]

Honestly, I consider YouTube to be almost era defining. Young adults today literally do not remember a time when YouTube didn't exist. When there weren't video tutorials for everything and a limitless supply of content on basically whatever you wanted. It also kinda coincided with a general explosion in Internet content.

I was only 13 when it launched, but I definitely remember how much more of a pain it was to find video before that. I think eBaum's World was probably the one I used most, and iirc Albino Blacksheep might have had video.

[felicitybywater]

Yeah, I remember how pissed off I was about not being able to upload a little homemade dog video to any of the gatekeeping video sites. I just wanted to cheer up my friend serving in Kuwait but they all basically said to duck off. Then said friend, a techhead, said go to this new site (youtube) they'll take anything.

[curtislindsey]

It took 500 videos for this channel to take off?!?!?! Holy shit
Edit: This video sent me down a weird rabbit hole watching old videos. I forgot about clean shaved Simon.

[joelockard]

I started a channel 17 years ago. It was mainly me running around in the MMO WoW. I only made 7 videos but even then I saw how much potential work it would be. I stopped making them sometime after that but the channel is still there in one of the old corners of YouTube. Neatest thing is most of the videos and channels I favorites are still up on the site. I don't know if there's a policy on deleting older videos but I'm kind of glad they haven't deleted mine yet. It's a window into my past for that short time and when I check them out it brings back those old memories. YouTube has vastly changed since then. Most videos have the same cookie cutter thumbnails of somebody's overly exaggerated emotional response to random stuff. It feels way more fake and 'plasticky' than it used to....and way way more commercial with tons of shills trying to sell products. Kind of sad that see that progression to be honest.

[jackywacky]

f I would to start again on YT, I just wouldn't waste months to get recognized by couple hundred people. When I discovered I could trigger organic growth after getting first 1k subs using some online services (like fame ster) my life just got easier and my main channel exploded. People are just looking at the numbers when searching for some content. If you have low subs no one cares abot you even if you have best content on platform.

[ginnyjollykidd]

"changed tack, " not "change tact."
Tack iss the position of a boat with relation to the sail. When changing this relationship, a person moving the sail can change the direction the boat is going.

[ChaoticWriterRising]

"Prepare your meal and sit down to eat." I literally finished the last bite of my eggo waffle as you said that. XD

[paytonmolloy]

I was 6 years old when YouTube came out and I remember waiting hours for a music vid to fully load up. I remember when I could watch full movies in 15 minute parts for several years

[yvmmbxc]

I can remember when Youtube sold to Google. A lot of users were very angry that copyrighted material was going to be banned and taken down. We don't hear much of those complaints anymore.

I can also remember when videos were limited to 10 minutes. Having that limit removed was probably the greatest leap for Youtube.

[kevinfoster]

The best damn thing i heard in this story was when YouTube sold they even gave the sectary over a million bucks I say good for them I can't stress this enough everybody working with them at the time of the sale was given a piece i think thats fantastic.

[RainbowYak]

I turned 18 in 2006 when Youtube was still very small compared to today. I remember using the website back then; I even uploaded a few videos myself. However, I failed to realize Youtube's potential. These days, I often regret this quite bitterly. If I had realized its potential, I could've become one of those early Youtubers who are super rich and successful now. I would've loved to produce educational videos like Simon does. These days, that's not really possible anymore. Of course you can still start a new channel but things are very different now. Pretty much every topic out there has been covered by like 200 Youtubers, no matter how exotic or strange it may be. In the 2000s, that wasn't the case. Youtube was still unchartered land and creating a channel was like building a paved road through the wilderness.

[metern]

The YouTube platform algorithm has been messed up lately. It has been too strict on the rules on what you can create without getting the age restrictions and the whole video removed 🤬

[salomonzometa]

You tube has become just the most prolific video encyclopedia of the entire internet.

[TheKrispyfort]

It was the Numa Numa Guy that first brought me to YouTube.
It is the Whistlerverse that keeps me here.

[ingridfong-daley]

This feels so meta AND it's almost surreal to see Simon's face again.

[GraveyardRomance]

I was inadvertently on youtube in 2006 without realizing it. I was on AIM with a friend and he had made a video of a rollercoaster he made in Rollercoaster Tycoon and sent it to me with a youtube link to watch. Either my internet was too slow (likely) or the website was buggy (also likely) so I couldn't actually watch the video and so I just left the website. I kick myself all the time for not staying and poking around youtube/creating an account.

[erictaylor]

24:30 When I was a kid (70s and 80s) my parents were good friends with another family (Mac & Linda) who had a bunch of kids around our age, so of course the kids became friends with my sister and me.
Mac was a really good veterinarian and they were doing quite well. Mac had a reputation of a bit of a miracle worker, saving animals that others would simply euthanize. and so his clinic was very busy. He was extremely dedicated to these animals and would sometime bring them home if they needed care that could not wait for morning.
One afternoon with all us kids at school and the dads at work My mom and Linda went out to lunch.
Linda said, "I hardly got any sleep last night. Mac brought a bitch home from the clinic and set her up in the bathroom on a blanket. But she just lay on the floor and cried all night long."
My mother looked beyond Linda and saw the women had overheard this and assumed the "unpleasant human woman" bitch, not the "female dog" bitch. They were wondering if they should maybe call police.
Be careful when talking in public, and also eves dropping. It's not always what it seems

[RTKdarling]

Literally sitting down with my breakfast as Simon looks right at me and says "Prepare your meal and sit down to eat"