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YouTube Marks 20 Years as Antitrust Ruling Threatens Google’s Ownership

The platform, now a $35 billion annual revenue giant valued up to $550 billion, faces potential divestiture following a federal ruling against Google's ad monopoly.

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Overview

  • YouTube, founded by Jawed Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley, launched on April 23, 2005, with the first video, 'Me at the Zoo.'
  • Google acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006, and the platform has since grown into a global media powerhouse with 500 hours of content uploaded per minute.
  • YouTube generates over $35 billion annually in ad revenue and commands 12% of total TV viewership, surpassing traditional media giants like Disney and Netflix.
  • Analysts estimate YouTube's standalone valuation at $475–550 billion, positioning it as a potential leader in media revenue by 2025.
  • A recent federal antitrust ruling declared Google held illegal advertising monopolies, raising the possibility that YouTube could be divested from its parent company, Alphabet.