Youtube.com

Checked on January 29, 2026
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Executive summary

YouTube.com is the web portal and primary interface for YouTube, the Google-owned video-sharing platform whose mission is “to give everyone a voice and show them the world” [1]. Official documentation frames youtube.com as the place to watch, upload, and manage videos while company blogs, help pages, and app listings describe its features, creator tools, and product updates [2] [3] [4].

1. What youtube.com is and who runs it

youtube.com is the central website for the YouTube service operated by Google/YouTube, described by the company as a platform that hosts video content across categories including music, gaming, news, learning and more [1] [4]. The About pages and official blog position YouTube as both a consumer destination and a creator platform that highlights artists, creators, and cultural trends [1] [3]. Wikipedia’s aggregated history and technical notes supplement that corporate portrayal with details about product launches and interface redesigns, situating youtube.com within a larger corporate and technological evolution [5].

2. Core features available at youtube.com

The site provides standard video playback, channel pages, subscriptions, recommendations, and a library of user activity as described in app store listings and help documentation [2] [4]. YouTube’s ecosystem also includes artist-focused features such as Official Artist Channels and analytics for music creators, and company announcements reveal ongoing feature updates and special programming promoted through the blog [6] [3]. The platform’s product pages and support center are the canonical entry points for account management, copyright procedures, and help resources for users and creators [2] [7].

3. Business model, scale and product evolution

YouTube monetizes through advertising, channel memberships, premium subscriptions, and add-on commerce like Primetime Channels; Wikipedia documents expansions such as the launch of subscription add-ons and tweaks to content length limits for short-form video [5]. Google’s app store listing highlights premium services and features like offline downloads and bundled music offerings tied to YouTube Premium [4]. The official blog functions both as a newsroom and a promotional vehicle for product changes and cultural tie‑ins, reinforcing YouTube’s role as a commercial media platform as well as a distribution channel [3] [8].

4. Public criticism, content control and censorship concerns

Public sources note that YouTube has been subject to criticism over content moderation, algorithmic influence and censorship: Wikipedia compiles instances of platform blocking or filtering in various countries and records negative audience reactions to certain company productions [5] [9]. The company’s public messaging about mission and community can conflict with complaints from creators and viewers—such as frustration over ad frequency or monetization shifts noted in user feedback visible across app reviews—which illustrates an implicit tension between corporate revenue goals and user experience [4] [5]. Official channels may emphasize outreach and support while third-party reporting and encyclopedia-style entries catalog controversies and regulatory friction, showing competing narratives about power and responsibility on youtube.com [3] [5].

5. Where to learn more and what official resources offer

For practical questions about using youtube.com—how to upload, manage copyright claims, troubleshoot accounts, or explore family and supervised experiences—the YouTube Help Center is the authoritative resource [2]. For product news, feature rollouts and cultural programming, the Official YouTube Blog and News pages provide company statements and context [3] [8]. For broader background, adoption metrics, historical product changes and controversies, encyclopedia and third‑party summaries compile public facts and timelines, though they reflect external reporting rather than internal policy detail [5] [9].

Want to dive deeper?
How does YouTube’s monetization system work for creators and what recent changes have been announced?
What are YouTube’s official policies and procedures for copyright disputes and counter-notices?
How has YouTube responded to government requests for content removal or censorship in different countries?