What problem was YouTube intended to solve?

YouTube was intended to solve the problem of difficulty in sharing videos online. In the mid-2000s, before the widespread popularity of YouTube, sharing videos on the internet was often cumbersome and technically challenging. Uploading videos required technical expertise, specialized software, and sufficient bandwidth, while sharing them with others typically involved cumbersome methods such as email attachments or physical media.

The founders of YouTube—Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim—recognized this problem and sought to create a solution that would make it easy for anyone to upload, share, and view videos online. They envisioned a platform where users could share their personal experiences, creative endeavors, and interests with others, without the barriers of technical complexity or geographical limitations.

By providing a user-friendly interface, simple upload process, and seamless sharing capabilities, YouTube democratized video sharing, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a camera. This solved the problem of difficulty in sharing videos online and revolutionized the way people consume and interact with video content on the internet.

Overall, YouTube's primary goal was to simplify the process of video sharing and empower users to connect, communicate, and express themselves through video, thus addressing a fundamental problem in the digital media landscape at the time of its launch.