YouTube

1. November 20, 2022
YouTube A source of knowledge and ultimate ideas
By Abid Hussain
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/11/20/youtube-a-source-of-knowledge-and-ultimate-ideas-
2/
YouTube is the second largest social media platform after Facebook. It was invented
in 2005 and purchased by Google in 2006. It is a video-sharing search engine
available in nearly hundred countries. People from across the globe upload videos of
their choices and attract viewers of their interests. Since its invention, it has become
the second-largest search engine after Google. It offers movies, songs, news, comedy,
science and technology, and educational material that engages people of all ages.
According to Statista 2022, more than 206 billion people worldwide use YouTube
once a month. The report also stated that people watch this channel for billions of
hours and generate billions of dollars. It has also been claimed that YouTube has
generated $19.7 billion in revenue in the current year.
As per the Statista report, most YouTube users are in the age group of 15-35 and the
majority of them are from India, estimated at 467 million, followed by the USA. It
has been proclaimed that the most YouTube traffic comes from the USA, with 16.4
percent, followed by India, with 9.9 percent, then Japan, with 4.8 percent. More than
70 percent of people watch YouTube from their mobile devices. The male and female
ratio of YouTube is 11:9. In a report, it has also been recorded that 54 percent of them
are male and 46 percent female. The most watched channels on YouTube belong to
comedy, with 77 percent of users. The report has also stated that every visitor checks
nine pages on average once he steps into YouTube. As per the Statista report of 2022,
YouTube has more than 5.1 million active channels which offer different
programmes. It is astounding that YouTube has more than 100 local versions in over
80 languages.
In this age of digital transformation, YouTube earned enormous fame exclusively
during the pandemic when education converted from classrooms to the online mode.
People now preferred smart-learning techniques rather than visiting institutions
personally. YouTube opened up a new horizon in education. Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOC), Edx, Udacity, and others have converted online courses that can be
accessed via YouTube. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford have
already converted their courses online, which can be accessed via YouTube. It has a
wide variety of content, from entertainment to education. Many experts have

2. launched channels that offer online lectures and tutorials. YouTube is a source of
income for technical, vocational and skills education. Now people in different
disciplines prepare online courses and upload them on their channels, attracting
millions of users. The world has become a global village; whatever is happening in
other corners, you will find them on YouTube. It is an excellent source of
information. MIT and Harvard Universities have become an active part of edX for
online lectures, which are available for students of all ages.
YouTube has a significant impact on the education and learning experience of the
students. Someone has rightly said that you never get bored with YouTube. Students
of different disciplines should make use of it in a positive manner. Susan Wojcicki,
the CEO of YouTube, has expressed on her YouTube website that “our hope is to
support those who use YouTube to share their knowledge with the world and the
million of the users who come to our platform to learn”.
Free education is the need of every individual and YouTube plays a tremendous role
in free education. Some informative search engines that offer comprehensive courses
via YouTube are Canvas Network, Coursera, Cognitive Class, Inversity, Future Learn,
Khan Academy, Kadenze, Udemy and Udacity, etc. These courses offer online
learning, counseling, diplomas and degrees. In the last few years, the use of audio-
visual material has made teaching methods effective and the present generations are
taking a keen interest in this smart learning. YouTube is, undoubtedly, a place of
smart learning. To make it more effective, students should engage in quality courses
that enhance their educational and career growth.
YouTube is a source of entertainment, information, current awareness and, above all,
an education platform. It depends on human minds what they should select. Though it
has some negative aspects, like watching movies, dramas, and sports, if we use it for
educational purposes, it will make us competitive in different spheres. The majority
of courses charge a heavy amount , however, YouTube is a free institution that offers
extensive courses without spending a penny. Mere readings from textbooks and
remembering them are not a good idea. It is YouTube that makes you a critical
thinker and teacher in your subject. YouTube harnesses education and classroom
teaching. It helps in your educational skills, and shows which courses are fruitful for
our students that make them creative and active learners.
YouTube has a significant impact on the education and learning experience of the
students. Someone has rightly said that you never get bored with YouTube. Students
of different disciplines should make use of it in a positive manner. Susan Wojcicki,
the CEO of YouTube, has expressed on her YouTube website that “our hope is to
support those who use YouTube to share their knowledge with the world and the
million of the users who come to our platform to learn”.
The writer is Deputy Director Library Services at the Institute of Strategic Studies
Islamabad. He can be reached at abidhussain@issi.org.pk