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We all have these deep-rooted You- Tube memories. Whether it be sitting in your best friend’s basement watching the newest FЯEDvideo or that Can I Have Your Number? clipover and over, we all can say that this website has a hold on parts of our childhoods. YouTube is 14 years old in 2019. In the midst of its pubescent rebellion, this video-platform has already been through its share of phases. There was live streaming, 3D clips, and even the completely unnecessary 360º videos. There’s also the famous YouTube Red, where we now can pay for videos we would otherwise watch for free. Talk about a moody teenager. Interestingly enough, one of its current endeavours has brought a new level of seriousness to its content. Moving past covers of “Riptide” and cringe-worthy American Idol auditions, YouTubers are now able to publish videos longer than the default 15-minute limit. This has brought about a new twist on the classic documentary. In the form of a heavily edited, found-footage-esque film, YouTubers are creating a new genre of entertainment. Last summer, we were all glued to our phones waiting for the newest parts of Shane Dawson’s investigative pieces on other Internet-celebs. This gave us, the common-folk, an inside look at the lives of some pretty controversial people. These were a step above standard click-bait, and a step in a new direction. With a combined total of almost 280 million views, Dawson’s free Internet content could have brought in an extreme amount of money at the box office. Or could it have? Maybe the reason we were so excited was due to the medium. Maybe it was the price. The thing is, YouTube feels personal. It provides an effect that a traditional documentary can’t. These “films” are formatted as if we’re having a conversation with someone, and they’re telling us a secret. It’s relatable, and it works. There’s a reason YouTube Red isn’t as popular as Netflix. It’s not the platform we want to pay for.

We have other means of watching Ross and Rachel debate the existence of their break. YouTube is still that raw, real platform we grew up with. In some way, it makes us feel at home. YouTube has evolved from a place where we watch Charlie bite his brother’s finger to a legitimate business platform on which people make their living. It’s even brought us a new form of the documentary, where we as viewers feel as though we’re part of the cast. It’s strange to think that videos with puppets of Harry Potter characters or a duck looking for some grapes can bring back such vivid memories. It’s also strange to think that ‘regular people’ are able to produce feature-length films from their laptops. All I know is YouTube will continue to bloom in its never-ending search for the ultimate form of entertainment, and we’ll continue to stream it. As if it’s our very own younger sibling, we’ve all been able to watch this site grow up, and we’re not abandoning it any time soon.

by Sam Turnbull